


The Soldier

by HoneyBee7312



Series: Shattered Glass [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Civil War Team Iron Man, F/F, F/M, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), I mean I favor Tony so fair warning, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), M/M, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:15:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 117,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25568863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneyBee7312/pseuds/HoneyBee7312
Summary: Our heroes have gone through hell and back. Loki and Thor are on Asgard. Odin is in 'Odinsleep'. Thor is ruler in the meanwhile. Now they face another challenge. How do you turn an entire kingdom against their King? The task seems impossible but not all in Asgard is as it seems.On the other side Steve Rogers struggles to acclimate himself in the world he woke up to. SHIELD is a familiar anchor even with the new faces. Unfortunately SHIELD hides a monster in its belly.  A monster that is now ready to burst out.Elsewhere Tony Stark begins to question the events of the Attack on New York. Is it possible that what he saw through that portal was real and not just his imagination? Amidst his returning nightmares and failing relationship with Pepper, he meets an enigmatic doctor with a wicked sense of humor. It makes Tony question what he truly wants from his life.Our heroes have some tough choices to make. Can they survive in the ever shifting terrain? Read to find out...
Relationships: Loki & OMC friendship, Loki/Thor (Marvel), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Pepper Potts/Tony Stark-briefly, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: Shattered Glass [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741330
Comments: 36
Kudos: 84





	1. Royal Palace of Asgard (part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> This will make so much more sense if you have read the first part of the series but still cliff notes version:  
> 1\. Loki was dead in the previous part and ended up in Helheim. Thor brought him back to life. Now Loki and Thor have a soul bond.  
> 2\. Hela's mother is Angrboda who in this series is the sister of Laufey and was married to Odin before he married Frigga  
> 3\. Thor and Loki are aware of Hela and her connection to Odin and are actively trying to free her from her prison  
> 4\. Frigga was married before she married Odin and has a son, Zaaroc who her brother Freyr hid from Odin claiming Zaaroc was his nephew from a distant cousin. Thor and Loki know of this as well.  
> 5\. Jane Foster is working on her research with Tony Stark in New York.  
> 6\. Loki is dead for the people of Asgard and has taken on the form of a woman, Ilvana so that he can be with Thor.  
> 7\. Laufey is in Helheim with Hela. He and Loki have cleared the air between them when Loki was in Helheim.  
> 8\. Odin has been forcefully put in a coma. The plan was executed by spies of Freyr in Asgard. Thor supported it. To the people of Asgard he is in Odinsleep but really its a coma  
> 9\. Thor and Loki are in a relationship  
> 10\. Tony Stark visited Thor while he was on Earth and together they came to the conclusion that Loki was probably influenced and coerced into attacking New York. So that seed of doubt is already there in his mind.  
> 11\. Earlier mentioned OC Zaaroc is undercover in shield as Jonathan Lynch. He wants to erase the info SHIELD managed to gather on Thor and Loki in all this time.  
> 12\. The Order of Mystic Arts is already introduced. The Ancient One has a good friendship with Zaaroc as he was the one who brought her to the order in time when it was run by Agamotto himself.  
> I think that covers all the major plot points. I would still recommend you read the first part of this series. But it is heavily focused on Loki and Thor and for those of you who are more interested in Tony Stark or Steve Rogers, you have to keep the above info in mind.

**Thor’s Private Chambers, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Loki looked out the huge window from Thor’s room. He was wearing a thin green robe. There was a thin gold shield on the window, invisible to the common eye. It was to prevent people from seeing Loki. He had wards around Thor’s bedroom to prevent people….mostly Heimdall from seeing or hearing in. It was so he could transform to his male form without fear of being caught. The door was also spelled so no one but Thor or Loki could open it. 

A thick arm wrapped around Loki’s waist and he smiled without turning. Thor was naked, not that Loki minded it. Thor pushed Loki’s hair aside and kissed his neck. Loki hummed and tilted his neck to give Thor better access. Thor pushed aside the fabric of Loki’s robe with his other hand and kissed his shoulder.

“What are you thinking about?”, Thor’s voice was muffled as he had not stopped kissing Loki.

Loki turned around and wrapped his arms around Thor’s neck, kissing him deeply. “Mhmmm. I was thinking about you.”

Thor smiled, “Really? I am liking this morning already.” Thor undid the tie on Loki’s robe and pushed it off his shoulders, letting it pool at his feet. He wrapped both his arms around Loki’s waist and grabbed his ass. Loki moaned. Thor was kissing down Loki’s neck towards his nipple when a knock interrupted them.

“Thor?!! Thor are you there?!!” It was Sif. She pounded the door again and tried to open it. Loki’s spell stopped her.

Thor grit his teeth as Loki sighed. “Go on before she brings the whole palace here.”

Loki stepped away from Thor and waved a hand dressing Thor in a deep blue tunic and trousers. Thor smiled at him gratefully.

Loki picked his robe off the floor and tied it back around his waist turning to the form of Ilvana. She sat at her vanity, brushing her hair. Thor looked at her longingly. Sif pounded the door again. 

Thor rolled his eyes and opened the door, “WHAT?!! WHAT IS IT?!!” He knew he was being rude. But by the Norns Sif had ruined a perfectly good morning. 

Sif looked a little startled at Thor’s angry expression, “Uh…..I just wanted to ask if you will be joining me, Fandral and Volstagg for some training…..I thought it would be nice to spar with you again….”

Sif looked over Thor’s shoulder and couldn’t help the anger she felt when she saw ‘Lady Ilvana of Vanaheim’ in Thor’s room. She was wearing only a robe. Sif snorted. Some lady she was 

Before Thor could respond to Sif, Ilvana spoke up looking at Sif in the mirror, “Don’t you have a council meeting this morning dear? It’s best not to keep the council waiting. You have other duties to attend to. You can spar in the evening. The weather will be cooler. It would be better then. Perhaps I shall join you as well.”

Sif clenched her teeth hard to stop herself from lashing out at Ilvana. She had done that once when Ilvana first arrived and Thor hadn’t spoken to her for a whole week. The bloody woman had been smug. Smirking annoyingly at Sif whenever she passed her in the hallway. Now Sif was forced to bow and be nice to Ilvana. It hurt her ego. But Thor looked at Ilvana like she had hung the moon. Sif had no choice but to be nice. It was alright though. Sif was Thor’s oldest friend. Ilvana was just a passing affair. In the end Thor will come back to Sif.

Thor looked at Loki who was looking at Sif. Loki had never liked Sif. Before Thor had not understood why but now he could feel Loki’s jealous anger. Sif overstepped her boundaries. She behaved as if she had a right to Thor’s time. Thor was King now. Sif should be more respectful in approaching him. 

Thor turned to Loki, “Ah. Yes. I do have a council meeting. Thank you for reminding me, love.” Loki smiled at him. She really liked it when Thor called her that. Thor turned back to Sif, “Ilvana is right. It is best not to keep the council waiting. I’m afraid I can’t spar with you right now. Perhaps some other time, yes? Good.” 

Thor did not wait for Sif to reply. He walked up to Loki and kissed her hair. “I shall see you for lunch. You are going to be helping Lady Sigrid after the council meeting aren’t you?”

Loki nodded, “Yes. She is making arrangements to distribute alms to the poor. I suggested that we should perhaps give out free consultations to the poor. I have prepared healing potions for some basic ailments. I think it will be enough. We are almost done with the other preparations. I think we will be setting up a stall today itself. ”

Thor smiled at her, “It is a lovely idea, love. I am sure the people will be very happy. I have some other meetings after the council meeting. But I shall join you for lunch. I might be a bit late though.”

Loki waved a hand, “Oh it’s no bother. I’ll wait. I will be in the Healing Rooms. Just send for me when you are free. After lunch we can go to the stall together. ”

Thor nodded in agreement, “Very well. Have a good morning, love. I will see you soon.” Thor kissed Loki’s hair again and turned to leave.

Sif was still standing in the doorway, glaring at Loki. Thor frowned at her. A part of Thor hoped that maybe his friends would have a change of heart but as time passed that hope was dying. “Sif? Why are you still here? Like I said I have a council meeting to attend. Aren’t Fandral and Volstagg waiting for you?”

Sif blinked at Thor. Great now Thor was trying to make her leave. Ilvana was smirking at her again. Sif grit her teeth. She wanted to talk to Ilvana privately. But Thor simply waited for her. He was not going to leave Ilvana alone with Sif.

Sif sighed, admitting defeat for now, “Uh….yeah….I better go.” Thor only nodded. No wishing her a good morning. No inviting her for lunch. Nothing. Sif left dejected. Thor had moved to another part of the palace. Now his room was actually a combination of rooms. He had his own living room for entertaining special guests. He also had a study attached to the living room. Then there was his bedroom. The door also opened from the living room. 

The guards were posted outside the living room doors. They had very strict orders not to let anyone in. But Sif had managed to cajole them into letting her wait for Thor in the living room. Lady Ilvana had been living in the same rooms as Thor since the day she arrived. There was gossip among the guards that she was going to marry Thor. That it was the only reason she was here now when Thor was interim ruler.

Sif had scoffed when Fandral had told her this. No way. If Thor was serious about her he would have told his friends. Why hide his relationship from them if it was indeed serious? But the more she saw Ilvana and Thor together the more this confidence wavered. They were so comfortable with each other. Like they could hear each other’s thoughts. 

It didn’t help that everyone from the council to the bloody servants seemed to adore Ilvana. They all fawned over her. The servants rushed to do anything she asked. The council members constantly praised her suggestions. Even the fucking guards got all starry eyed whenever Ilvana was so much as looked at them. In the two weeks since her arrival, Ilvana had become the apple of the palace’s eye. It made Sif want to tear her pretty dresses to reveal the cunning woman underneath. 

Sif stomped over to the training grounds. Fandral and Volstagg were standing beside one of the weapons stalls, chatting. Sif pushed them aside and picked an axe as her weapon. She could practice on the dummies, imagining it was Ilvana’s head she was chopping off. 

“Hey! What gives?!”, Fandral complained as he was dislodged from his place and almost fell down. 

Sif was not in the mood, “Shut up. You are fine. Stop lazing around and do something for a change”

Fandral frowned, “What’s the matter Sif? I thought you were going to get Thor. What happened?”

“What happened?!! That bloody whore is what happened!! She’s always speaking in between! She won’t let me have one decent conversation with Thor!!”, Sif was seething in anger.

Fandral backed away at the expression on Sif’s face, “Who are you...oh. Lady Ilvana. Sif come on. Don’t speak of Lady Ilvana like that. She is a noble woman. She comes from a respectable family. It is not right to blaspheme her like this.” Fandral looked around. Some of the soldiers were looking at them with narrowed eyes.

“I’ll speak of her as I bloody want!! She is a whore!! What respectable woman sullies her virtue before marriage like this?!! She’s not noble!! She's a cunning, shrewd woman!! Why am I the only one who sees it?!!” Sif got louder and louder. The soldiers around them definitely looked angry now.

Fandral tried to placate Sif before someone went and called Thor. That would be very bad. “Shh…..not so loudly. And that’s a very rude thing to say Sif. Even in the times of King Buri no one looked down on a woman for sleeping with who she wanted to. Married or not. Where is this even coming from?”

Sif pinched the bridge of her nose, frustrated. “Nothing. It’s just…..Thor is back and still we are not able to see him as much. He’s always off running to this meeting and that. I get it. He is King now. He has duties and responsibilities. But he’s not even making an effort to see us. Whatever free time he has he spends it with….with that woman….”

Volstagg spoke up, “Aye. It is true that Thor spends most of his free time with Lady Ilvana. But what do you expect? They are lovers. It is but natural that they would want to spend time with each other. And from the rumors I have been hearing, it seems this relationship is pretty serious. You know today I heard Ingrid giving orders to some servants to prepare rooms for some important guests from Vanaheim. I think Thor has called over Ilvana’s parents. Perhaps he wishes to formally propose to her.”

Sif couldn’t take it anymore. She threw the axe on the ground and stomped off, tears in her eyes.

Fandral shook his head at her and turned to Volstagg, “Really? Could you be a little more tactful? Now look what you've done.”

Volstagg shrugged, “It’s best she has some warning. Do you really want Sif to scream obscenities in the public square when Thor does actually announce his engagement. It’s better for her to let all the anger out here and now.”

Fandral wanted to argue that logic. But Volstagg was probably right. It did not seem like Lady Ilvana was a passing affair. She was here to stay. The sooner Sif accepted it, the better. Fandral shrugged and picked up the fallen axe, “Come on then. Let’s spar. Best out of two” Volstagg smirked and followed Fandral to the training ring. 

**Healing Rooms, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Lady Sigrid stepped into the healing rooms and spotted Lady Ilvana in one corner with Lady Eir. They had various potions and mixing utensils spread before them and were chatting away like old friends. Lady Ilvana sensed another presence and looked up

“Lady Sigrid. Come in, come in. We were waiting for you.” Lady Ilvana smiled at her.

Sigrid liked this woman. She was intelligent and diplomatic and somehow honest and genuine at the same time. She could reprimand King Thor with one look and at the same time respected him as King. She knew just what to say and when to say it. Sigrid thanked the Norns Thor had found such a gem of a woman. Asgard could use a woman capable of filling Queen Frigga’s shoes.

“Lady Ilvana, Lady Eir. It is good to see you. How are the preparations for our stall going?” Sigrid inspected some of the potions on the table as she spoke.

Lady Eir was the one who responded, “They are going well, My Lady. Lady Ilvana is truly talented. She has made potions for cold and flu and the summer fever that seems to be making rounds among the people. We have stronger potions for the adults and milder ones for the children. I think we are almost ready. We need someone to help transport all this to the market, carefully.”

Sigrid nodded looking at the potions, “Yes. I believe we are done. I have already set up the stall for the clothes and food. I shall have Ingrid fetch someone to transport these to the market as well. The announcement of the distribution will be made at noon. We shall open the stalls at around 1. They shall remain open till 6 in the evening. I think that is plenty of time. King Thor has promised to join us as well.”

Ilvana nodded, “Yes. I think that will be enough. If not we can always open the stall at the same time tomorrow to make distributions to the remaining people.”

Sigrid smiled at Ilvana, “Excellent idea Lady Ilvana. We can also have some other council members join us tomorrow. Show that the King and the council are united in their thoughts and actions.”

Ilvana grinned, “Yes. It will be a good picture to present to the people. Perhaps General Tyr can have some soldiers do demonstrations for the people. Attract more recruits before the period for applications to the army close….”

And so Lady Eir, Lady Ilvana and Lady Sigrid planned, enjoying each other’s company. Some time around twelve, Thor knocked on the door.

“Good Afternoon, My Ladies. Do you mind if I interject?”, Thor walked into the room smiling.

Lady Eir and Lady Sigrid immediately stood up bowing to him, “Not at all Your Grace. Please do come in.” Lady Sigrid motioned to a chair beside Lady Ilvana

Thor shook his head, “Oh no I just came here to ask Lady Ilvana to join me for lunch, if you don’t mind…” Lady Eir and Lady Sigrid shook their heads.

Lady Ilvana stood up, “Thank you, Your Grace.” Ilvana turned to Lady Eir and Lady Sigrid, “My Ladies if you will excuse me. I shall join you directly at the stall.”

Lady Eir smiled at Ilvana, “Of course Lady Ilvana. We should probably get some lunch as well. We will be busy with the stall afterwards.”

Lady Sigrid nodded in agreement, “Yes. yes. You go ahead Lady Ilvana. We will see you later.”

Ilvana waved at the two ladies and took Thor’s arm. Thor smiled at them one more time and they left.

Lady Sigrid turned to Lady Eir, “Do you think it is too early to start making arrangements for a royal wedding?”

Lady Eir waved a hand dismissively, “It’s never too early to start. Royal weddings take forever to plan. It’s best we get ahead of it now. The rate at which this affair is progressing I fear we might have an heir before the wedding is even announced.”

Lady Sigrid, Member to the King’s Council and Lady Eir, the Chief Healer of the Palace looked at each other and giggled like a pair of gossiping girls.

**Thor’s Private Dining Hall, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Thor sighed and put his head on Loki’s shoulder who was sitting in his lap. Loki ran a hand through his hair. A piece of bread in her other hand. 

She nibbled at the bread, “So My King how was your morning? Enjoying the glorious task of nodding and signing papers?” Loki smirked at Thor.

Thor gently bit at her neck, making Loki gasp, “Be nice. It is hard work you know. I had no idea Lord Njal could talk for so long without breathing.”

Loki smiled at Thor, kissing his forehead, “Oh you’d be surprised. Just wait till Uncle Ve gets a whiff of that trade treaty you are about to present for Muspelheim, then you’ll see how much a person can speak in one go. I think he’d rather live on Muspelheim than on Asgard.”

Loki fed Thor a piece of chicken from her hand. Thor tightened his hold on her waist, “Hmmm. Perhaps once the truth is revealed we can release Uncle Ve from his obligation to Asgard and allow him to retire on Muspelheim.”

Loki ate some food herself, chewing thoughtfully, “Yes. And perhaps allow Uncle Vili to retire on Alfheim. I think they both got a little attached when they were living there.”

Thor nodded, “It is settled then. They may retire to whichever realm they want to. Now no more business. I will have to keep my hands to myself all afternoon. Do you know how hard that is?”

Loki sighed as Thor rubbed a hand over her stomach, “I can imagine. Come on then, let’s finish lunch. We have to get ready for our first public appearance together. It is important. I want everything to be perfect.”

Loki and Thor fed each other in turns till the food was gone. The servants came and cleared the room, smiling at the couple. They walked back to their room hand in hand. Loki chose a flowing dress in a beautiful peach color that highlighted her complexion. Thor chose a deep blue tunic with gold work. He wore his vambraces but left out his breastplate. He was going as a King not a soldier. Loki helped Thor with his cape and Thor helped her tie her hair in a braid with some flowers woven in. Once they were ready they headed arm in arm towards the market.

 **Common Plaza, Central Market, Asgard**.

Thor and Ilvana dismounted their horses and made their way towards the stalls set up by Lady Sigrid. People were surrounding the stall looking at them curiously from behind a line of guards that were there to ensure there was no stampede. Lady Sigrid was already there waiting for them with Lady Eir.

She waved Ilvana over, “Lady Ilvana, Your Grace welcome. We are ready. We were just waiting for you. Lady Ilvana you can stand here. Your Grace please stand here. I will hand the bundles to you and you can distribute them”

Ilvana went around Lady Sigrid and stood at the spot she had pointed to. Thor came and stood beside the stall. The guards moved aside and allowed the people to come through making sure they went in a line instead of crowding the stalls.

Thor smiled as he handed the bundles out to the people. Most of them were old people who could no longer earn on their own. Their children had abandoned them. Thor thought back to what Jane had told him about old homes built for the elderly people on Midgard that did not have anyone to take care of them. Perhaps Thor could implement something like that on Asgard. A thought for later. 

Ilvana smiled as the people came to her for various remedies. A woman with a cough. A man with pain in his back. A little boy who had the flu. She tended to them all happily. As Loki she used to do this with her mother. Frigga would distribute clothes and food and Loki would stand beside her offering advice to the sick people, even handing out potions from his personal stock.

As time passed the people naturally gravitated towards Ilvana more. She had a small crowd around her stall and was talking to the people. Giving advice on matters not related to health. A trader wanted to know the best time to start business on Vanaheim. A woman wanted advice on storing grains. A little girl wondered if Vanaheim had trees made of gold. Ilvana had laughed at that one. 

The people all seemed very happy with Ilvana. By the end of the day, the stalls were all closed down and Ilvana had conjured a chair on which she was sitting telling the grand tale of how she met King Thor to a bunch of fascinated children. She used her sedir to create illusions and the children oohed and ahhed at them. By the time it came time to leave, some of the children clung to her dress not wanting to leave her. Ilvana conjured some sweets for them all and promised she was going to come back tomorrow and tell them another story.

All in all the stalls had been a huge success. At night, in their bed, Loki was lying, smiling at the ceiling. Thor laid down beside him and wrapped his arms around him, “Well I think we can count today as a raging success. The people love you.”

Loki’s smile faltered. He turned to face Thor, “No. The people love Lady Ilvana of Vanaheim. They probably think I am a traitor.”

Thor tightened his arms around Loki. “You don’t know that. The people did not exactly have the freedom to express their opinion before. For all we know they are angry at Odin for imprisoning you. And Ilvana is you. It is you doing this for the people. They will see it and they accept you when the truth is revealed. You’ll see.”

Loki snuggled in Thor’s embrace. “I hope you are right. It was good to see the people happy. I hope it stays that way.”

Thor kissed Loki’s forehead, “It will. Now hush. Let’s sleep. It has been a long day and tomorrow is going to be even longer. I will begin looking at the old records tomorrow.”

Loki wrapped his own arms around Thor and snuggled deeper in his embrace. He sent a silent prayer to the Norns that all may go well.

TBC….


	2. To Spy on a Spy (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Steve has one too many manuals on his reading list and Fury tries to outsmart a thousand year old elf. Not that he knows it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for liking and commenting on the first chapter ☺️ It really encourages me. I have been swamped in work. But I have a few holidays coming and hopefully I can work on the story

An alarm clock rang inside a small but spacious apartment. Steve Rogers blindly reached for the alarm clock, trying to find the button to turn it off. He pressed it and sighed, turning and going back to sleep. Ten minutes later just as a wonderful dream about Steve and Bucky eating ice cream began the alarm clock started ringing again. What in the world?!! Hadn’t Steve turned it off?!! Steve got up and glared at the offending clock. It was so different from the ones he was used to. This one was rectangular with numbers like that on a computer. It could also glow in the dark. Steve had been fascinated by that. 

But right now it was irritating him. Steve picked up the clock and tried to understand how to turn the thing off. Snooze? What in the world was a Snooze? Frustrated Steve opened his bedside drawer and pulled out the ‘manual’ for the clock. Honestly alarm clocks were supposed to be simple. After reading the manual twice, Steve finally realized that the ‘Snooze’ function meant that the alarm would be silent for ten minutes and then sound again. Steve had accidentally pressed the Snooze button instead of the button that would turn the alarm off. 

Steve sighed. Well might as well get up. Steve got up, changed into some running clothes and went for a run near the Potomac River. He went around the National Mall and made 15 laps, hardly losing any breath. It still amazed Steve that he was able to do this. He came back home and went to shower. At least the shower was easy to use. That hadn’t changed so much since Steve’s time. Although the near unlimited hot water was a bonus. Once done Steve wore a shirt and jeans and zipped up his jacket, making sure he had his SHIELD issued badge. He decided to have some breakfast before heading to SHIELD HQ.

He looked in the fridge. Nick had stocked it with a lot of frozen foods. Steve picked the frozen waffles. He squinted at the instructions. Toaster. Steve looked around and spotted the toaster. He put the waffles in at the lowest setting and headed to the coffee machine. How did this thing even work? Steve tried to understand what the buttons meant. Menu. Steve frowned. Why on Earth did he need a menu for coffee? Steve shrugged and pressed it. Then there were options: Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte. Steve looked at the machine confused. He understood only one option. Steve selected Espresso. The machine started beeping giving indication for no water. Steve frowned. Now how to add water to the machine? Steve was not in the mood to get the manual for the coffee machine not after the incident with the alarm clock. Juice. He should have some juice. It was a better choice.

Just then the toaster popped. Steve turned towards it. One of the waffles went flying and smacked Steve on the forehead before rolling on the ground. Steve threw his hands up frustrated. He took the other waffle, put it on a plate and in the fridge. He threw the waffle that had fallen in the trash can. He turned off all the switches, grabbed the keys for his motorcycle and the house keys and banged the door shut. He could have breakfast at the Cafeteria in SHIELD HQ. He wasn’t that hungry anyways.

Steve drove to the headquarters. The guard at the parking nodded to him. Steve nodded back. After parking his motorcycle, Steve headed to the elevator. He selected the floor for the cafeteria and waited as the elevator went up. There was mild music playing in the elevator and Steve wondered why on Earth it was there but shrugged and let it go. At the cafeteria, Steve saw a lot of agents milling about. Some of them saluted Steve and he smiled at them.

He went to the counter. A lady dressed in non descript clothes with a shower cap on her head blinked at him with a bored expression, “Hello. I want a coffee and two waffles please.”

The woman’s expression did not change. “Alright. What kind of coffee do you want? Espresso, Latte, Cappuccino, Americano, Irish, Mocha, Macchiato,...”

Before the woman could go on Steve interrupted her, “Uh….how about some simple black coffee with two spoons of sugar, if you don’t mind..”

The woman shrugged and wrote Steve’s order on a piece of paper and told him to wait at the corner for his order. Ten minutes later Steve sat at a table by a huge glass window, happily eating his waffles. He ate quickly and then decided to head to the training rooms. Steve went to the locker room and stored his jacket in the designated locker. There were other agents in the training rooms. Steve picked on corner with a punching bag. He did not need gloves. He simply started punching the bag.

It went on like that for a while. Steve had to be careful not to break the punching bag. Then Steve got the feeling someone was watching him. He turned around. It was a guy wearing the standard SHIELD suit. He was tall. He had a few inches on Steve. He had short blonde hair and blue-green eyes. He was watching Steve with his head tilted a little.

Steve was used to random agents being curious about him. But this one’s gaze was too sharp. Still Steve could be polite. “Uh...hello. I am Steve Rogers. Can I help you with something?”

The guy blinked as if coming back to himself and smiled at Steve, “I am Jonathan Lynch. I just graduated from the academy. Today is my first day. Agent Cooper said you are supposed to be my mentor so I thought I’d introduce myself.”

Jonathan held out a hand for Steve to shake. Steve frowned. He had not received any message about a new trainee being assigned to him. Still Steve smiled at Jonathan, “Oh. Well nice to meet you Jonathan. I’m sorry. I did not receive any message about you. Maybe it got mixed…..”

Jonathan shrugged, “I got here just now so maybe the order is not here yet. But Agent Cooper told me you were here so I thought I’d come say hello. Are you training? Can I watch?”

Steve frowned at how nonchalant Jonathan seemed. Usually people were a little star-struck when they met Steve. But it was nice. Steve was done with training. There was really no point. He did not have anyone here who could match his skills. Clint and Natasha were away on a mission. At least Steve now had Jonathan to occupy his time. 

Steve pointed to the locker room. “I am actually going to take a quick shower and then change. I have a meeting with Director Fury. You can join me if you want. Is there some specific instruction on how I am supposed to mentor you?”

Jonathan shook his head, “No. Agent Cooper said I am supposed to follow you, study how you do things and learn as much as I can before my evaluation in six months. So I guess I am your assistant now…?”

Steve smiled. This he could do. He could impart all his knowledge to Jonathan and make him a good soldier. Steve put a hand on Jonathan’s shoulder, “Sure thing. Although I would prefer if you call me a partner rather than thinking you are my assistant. Don’t worry I’ll teach you all the tricks. You’ll ace that test, son”

For some reason Jonathan seemed amused by Steve’s statement. “Sure. I’m sure I will ace the test…..I have you as my mentor. I’ll wait for you outside in the hallway.” Jonathan left without waiting for a response.

Steve frowned but then shrugged. He took a quick shower and got his jacket from the locker, heading out to see Jonathan looking out the glass window in the hallway, “Come on. Let’s go. Fury’s office is this way.”

Steve led Jonathan through the hallways. Jonathan looked at everything curiously. Finally they reached Director Fury’s office. It was a corner office overlooking the Roosevelt Bridge. Director Fury was sitting at his desk. 

He raised one eyebrow at Steve as he entered., “Well hello Captain. You are one full minute late. What kept you?”

Steve crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. He pointed one thumb behind him, “I am a mentor now apparently. Funny I did not receive any notification or order about that.”

Fury shrugged, "It wasn't on the table. But then it sorta happened…..I think it'll be good though….a nice little achievement the other recruits could look forward to and you can a have an assistant. I think it's a win-win. Agent Lynch here is excellent at tracking. It just so happens that it's what we need for your next mission. It's search and rescue. Agent Romanoff will join you as well. I'm also giving you the STRIKE team lead by Agent Rumlow"

Steve frowned, "Have Natasha and Clint returned already? I thought they were going to be gone for longer?"

Fury smirked, "They were. But they're good at what they do. So they got back early. You leave as fast as it takes for you to get in your uniform. This is time sensitive. Oh and tell Agent Lynch he doesn't have to wait for permission if he's coming with you next time. I appreciate him trying to follow protocol but I assigned him to you for a reason. He is allowed to be wherever you are. Till then I'm gonna add 'dead silent like a cat' to his list of skills." Fury waved a hand dismissing Steve

It was only when he mentioned it that Steve realized Jonathan had not come into Fury's office with him. Steve was a little shocked. He should have noticed that. A little bit in a daze, Steve left Fury's office. Outside Jonathan was leaning against a wall tapping at his phone. 

He looked up when Steve appeared, "Huh. Well that was quick. I expected the meeting would be longer. Soooo where to next, Captain?"

Steve was still confused, "Why didn't you come with me? I thought you were supposed to be my shadow?"

Jonathan shrugged, "I am. But I didn't have Director Fury's permission to be at the meeting. It's above my clearance. Don't want to get on the bad side of the Director on my first day" 

Steve relaxed. He was beginning to like Jonathan. He could appreciate a soldier willing to follow rules, "Well that's nice, Jonathan. But Nick says it's alright for you to attend the meetings with me. Now come on, we have a mission. Let's go. We have to meet up with Agent Romanoff and coordinate with the STRIKE team. Nick said this mission is time sensitive. Let's hurry" 

Steve went in the direction of the armory. Jonathan smirked at his back. He typed another message to his 'Sister'

_ 'First day at the office going great sis😊 I met Captain America! See you at dinner' _

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the CCTV move slightly towards him. It was no use. Fury could be the most experienced spy on Earth. But Zaaroc had lived for centuries under the nose of Odin without being discovered. He could spin a bigger web than Fury could ever imagine. Jonathan hurried after Steve Rogers a spring in his step. The day was indeed going well.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steve struggling with 21st century tech is my favorite trope. It never gets old 😂 Also Zaaroc made his resume look a little too perfect and then crowed Steve's praises to make it look like he is interested in him. Fury decided to give him what he wants. Proximity to Steve. It allows Zaaroc to study his brother's 'friends'and actually get what he wants 'access to data other agents at his level don't have courtsey of proximity to Steve'


	3. To Spy on a Spy (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve leads a mission to rescue hostages. Natasha grows suspicious of Jonathan and Zaaroc unknowingly gets his hands on vital information

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of dialogue is from CA:TWS...In italics is the conversation going on the comms. In bold and italics is dialogue in a different language

**Somewhere over the Indian Ocean**

“Target is a mobile satellite launch platform, the ‘Lemurian Star’. They were setting up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago”, Brock Rumlow explained as Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff along with Jonathan Lynch and the STRIKE team flew over the Indian Ocean towards their target.

Steve nodded, “Any demands?”

“Billion and a half”, Rumlow replied.

Steve frowned, “Why so steep?”

Rumlow shrugged, “Because it was SHIELD’s”

Steve sighed disappointed, “So it’s not off course. It’s trespassing.” He looked at Natasha.

Natasha’s expression didn’t change, “I’m sure they had a good reason”

Steve wasn’t impressed by her nonchalance, “You know I’m getting a little tired of being Fury’s janitor.”

Natasha bit her lip, “Relax, it’s not that complicated.”

Steve sighed, “How many pirates?” He directed the question at Rumlow.

“25. Top mercs led by this guy.” Rumlow blew up a picture on the screen and continued speaking, “George Batroc, Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He’s at the top of Interpol’s Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had 36 kill missions. This guy’s got a rep for maximum casualties.” 

Steve nodded, “Hostages?”

“Mostly tech. One officer, Jasper Sitwell.”, Rumlow blew up the picture of a bald man in glasses. “They’re in the galley”

Steve huffed looking down, “What’s Sitwell doing on a launch ship?” He looked up, “Alright I’m gonna sweep the deck and look for Batroc. Nat, you kill the engines and wait for instructions. Jonathan you look for stragglers. If any of the pirates try to get away from the ship, deal with them. Not even one should escape. Rumlow you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the lift-pods, get them out. Let’s move.”

“STRIKE you heard Cap. Gear up.”, Rumlow ordered the others.

Jonathan secured the parachute like the rest of the STRIKE team, not that he actually needed it. The drop height was not that high for him. Steve and Natasha moved to the plane’s door. “Secure channel seven” Steve spoke in the comms. “Channel seven secure.” responded the operator. 

Natasha came to stand beside Steve, “Did you do anything fun Saturday night?” 

Steve fixed his earpiece, “Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so, no, not really.”

_ “Coming up on the drop zone, Cap” _ Rumlow spoke over the comms. Steve went closer to the door as it opened. Jonathan turned all his attention to Steve, studying him, opening his third eye. 

“You know, if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, she’d probably say yes.” Natasha pointed out.

“Steve put on his helmet, “That’s why I don’t ask”

The plane door opened, “Too shy, or too scared!” Natasha shouted over the noise.

“Too busy!” Steve replied diving out of the plane without a parachute.

“Was he wearing a parachute?!!”, Agent Rollins asked. “No”, Rumlow replied. “No. He wasn’t”

Jonathan watched in interest as he saw thin orangish gold veins spark briefly in Steve’s face, invisible to the naked eye, as he dove out. It must be the serum he had been given to enhance his body. Interesting. Jonathan made a note to drill all information he could on the serum later. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Agent Romanoff looking at him from her peripheral vision as she secured her own parachute.

Steve briefly glided in the air before aiming for the water, landing in it, a few meters away from the bow of the Lemurian Star. He climbed aboard with the help of the anchor’s chain and got on the upper deck just as a guard passed by it. He quickly nabbed the pirate by the neck putting a hand over his mouth cutting off his air supply till he fell unconscious. Steve went towards the port and knocked out another pirate with his shield. 

He ran further ahead kicking one pirate off the deck, punching another and using a slide up roundhouse kick to knock out a third pirate. He ran fast, using the momentum to knock the pirates off with his shield. One of the pirates tried to stab him but Steve twisted his wrist, making him drop the knife. A pirate tried to ring the fire alarm, but Steve threw the knife, pinning his hand to the wall. 

He jumped down to the lower deck where a few pirates rushed at him. He fought them off blocking punches, delivering his own, using his shield to knock more pirates off deck. He had knocked out the last pirate on the lower deck when another pirate came from behind, aiming a gun at his head, “Don’t move”. The pirate drew closer. Suddenly a putter like sound came and the pirate who had been aiming a gun at Steve’s head fell down dead. 

Steve looked behind him to see it was Jonathan who had shot the pirate down. He, Natasha and the STRIKE team landed on deck letting go of their parachutes.

“Thanks”, Steve nodded to Jonathan. He smirked, “It’s my job. Can’t have you dying on my first day as assistant. That would look bad on my resume.” Steve shook his head and put his shield back in it’s harness. 

He walked ahead. Natasha fell in step with him, “What about that nurse from across the hall at your apartment? She seems kinda nice.”

Steve didn’t slow down or look at her, “Secure the engine room first then find me a date.”

“I’m multitasking”, Natasha jumped over the railing

Inside the ship’s galley, the leader of the pirates, looked angry, **_“I told Batroc, if we want to make SHIELD pay us, start sending them bodies now!”_** He circled the hostages who were sitting on the floor, their hands and feet tied with zipcords. **_“I have a bullet for someone.”_** He stopped in front of a hostage, **_“You want a bullet in your head?!!”_** He yelled. He hit Sitwell’s foot, **_“_** ** _Move that foot! You want a bullet in the head?!! Huh?!”_**

On the other side of the ship Steve jumped over a railing and hid behind a wall. From here he could see Batroc in the wheelhouse. Steve shot a small device that stuck to the window of the wheelhouse. It allowed him to listen to the conversation inside. 

**_“I don’t like waiting.”_ ** Batroc commented,  **_“Call Durand. I want this ship ready to move when the ransom comes.”_ ** The pirate beside Batroc picked up the radio and commanded Durand to start the engines.

In the engine room, just as Durand turned to move towards the engines, he came face to face with Natasha. She smirked, “Hey sailor” Before Durand could react, she kicked his leg breaking the bone and tied a cord around his neck choking him. She kicked him away and used the momentum to do a backflip over a railing, pulling out her guns and shooting pirates and she dropped below. She landed on top of two dead pirates and shot another two pirates through the grills. 

On the port side, Jonathan took down any stray pirates before they could inform their comrades. He looked around. The deck was silent. Jonathan put a hand on the floor of the deck and opened his senses, feeling for the souls of every person on board. He also looked for the unique energy that computers and other electronics could give off. Steve hadn’t noticed it, but there was little need for Natasha for this mission. She was a spy. This mission required a tactical team. It was search and rescue not search and woo the kidnapper. She was here for a reason. Now that Jonathan knew the ship belonged to SHIELD, he concluded that Fury had sent Natasha to secure the information on this ship. He had to get to it first. 

There! Jonathan sensed the main computer room. He created a duplicate and cast a spell to make himself invisible. He left the duplicate at the port and headed for the computer room. The duplicate had all of Jonathan’s biology and skills replicated at a basic level. The duplicate could do basic fighting. With Jonathan’s enhanced strength not much else was needed. It could hold the fort for a while, but he had to hurry.

Jonathan used a shortcut, breaking the locks of some doors and reached the computer room. With this lock he was more careful, picking it instead of breaking it. He went in. There were a lot of computers in rows, with a big screen projecting data. Jonathan went to one of the computers. Using a flash drive would take too long. Fortunately a computer had a ‘brain’ and an ‘access point’ to that ‘brain’ Jonathan put his hand on the CPU and ‘hacked’ the computer in a very unconventional way. He closed his eyes and they moved rapidly as he absorbed all the information the computer had. He put all the information in a compartment in his mind and locked it. He could sort it later and transfer it to a memory stone when he was alone. Jonathan took his hand off the CPU and shook his head. Reading data like this be it from a book or a computer could be a little disorienting. With his heightened senses he could hear Natasha heading in this direction. Jonathan quickly left the computer room, making sure to lock the door behind him. He came back to his position and took over from his duplicate dispelling it.

In the galley the leader of the pirates yelled at a hostage trying to talk to the person beside them,  **_“Shut up! You want to be a hero?!! Is that it?!!”_ ** He turned to his companions,  **_“Alright I’ve waited long enough..”_ **

He went to the door of the galley and banged it,  **_“Hey!!”_ ** A pirate outside the door came near it. The leader spoke through the door,  **_Find Botroc! If I don’t hear anything in two minutes…...I start killing them!”_ **

**_“I’ll find him”_ ** The pirate at the door responded. Just as he turned from the door to go look for Batroc, Rollins caught him and tasered him making him gasp. Rollins gripped his neck tightly to subdue the sound and held completely still. The leader tilted his head towards the door but when no other sound came, he shrugged it off. 

Rollins gently lowered the unconscious pirate to the floor. Behind him Rumlow removed his pack and started assembling his special sniper rifle. It had special equipment with x-ray vision. Three STRIKE team agents lowered themselves from the deck and positioned themselves near the windows of the galley and took aim at the pirates inside. Rollins set a charge to blow the door. Rumlow aimed at the leader of the pirates with his special rifle. 

Steve listened in to the wheelhouse,  **_“Radio silence from SHIELD Batroc,....”_ **

_ “Targets acquired”,  _ informed Agent Parke 

_ “STRIKE in position”,  _ Rumlow relayed to Steve. 

Steve spoke in his comm,  _ “Natasha what’s your status?.....Status Natasha!” _

_ “Hang on!”, _ Natasha responded as she dropped from down from a grill and attacked a pirate from behind tasing him with the widow bites. Another pirate attacked her. Natasha blocked the attack and kicked him. The pirate caught her from behind. Natasha used the force of her body to flip him over her shoulder,  _ “Engine room secure” _ , she reported to Steve, picking up a wrench and hitting the pirate who was getting up on the head, knocking him out. Then she turned and left the engine room, heading elsewhere.

In the galley Jasper Sitwell saw a sniper aiming at the pirates from the window and smirked slightly.  **_“Time is up”_ ** , the leader of the pirates stood in front of Sitwell,  **_“Who dies first…..?”_ ** He went around looking at the hostages and commanded his fellow pirates,  **_“You! Get that one!”_ **

_ “On my mark”,  _ Steve began the countdown, Rumlow and the other agents took aim holding still,  _ “Three….two, one.” _

The agents fired their rifles at the same time killing the other pirates in the galley at once. The leader looked shocked, before he could react the door behind him blew open as Rollins set off the charges. The leader turned around and Rumlow shot him in the head. He fell dead in front of Sitwell, “I told you SHIELD doesn’t negotiate”, Sitwell commented.

In the wheelhouse, Batroc looked worried. The pirate with him picked up the radio,  **_“The line just went dead. I’ve lost contact with them….”_ **

Just then Steve came out of his hiding spot and threw his shield at the window of the wheelhouse breaking it and knocking the pirate unconscious. Batroc ducked out of the way and the shield logged itself in the wall. Steve climbed in through the window. Batroc kicked him, momentarily disbalancing Steve and ran out of the wheelhouse, escaping. Steve followed him out. 

Rumlow and his team began to leave with the hostages, checking the hallways as they went,  _ “Hostages en route to extraction.” _ , Rumlow reported,  _ “Romanoff missed the rendezvous point, Cap.” _

_ “Hostiles are still in play. I could use a little help here.” _ , Jonathan reported from his spot as he punched a pirate and ducked out of the way of a knife.

_ “Natasha, Batroc’s on the move. Circle back to Jonathan and help him. Natasha!”  _ Steve looked around for Batroc, holding up his shield just in time as he came flying in from sideways, aiming a kick at Steve’s head. Batroc attacked Steve with a flurry of kicks and punches. Steve barely had time to counterattack. 

On the other side Rumlow reached Jonathan shooting the remaining pirates, “Where’s Cap?”, Jonathan inquired.

Rumlow shrugged, “I don’t know. He was chasing Batroc. Romanoff missed the rendezvous point. I have to get the hostages out. I can’t go looking for them now.”

Jonathan nodded, “That’s alright. Go on ahead and get the hostages out. I’ll look for them.” Rumlow nodded motioning to his team. Jonathan headed for the wheelhouse, the last known location of Steve.

Natasha looked around at the various doors. Finally she spotted the computer room. She picked the lock and went in. Natasha pulled out a flash drive and attached it to one of the computers. She hacked into the mainframe and began transferring as much data as she could on the flash drive. Once it was on the drive, they could decrypt it all at SHIELD HQ. 

Near the computer room, Steve finally managed to fight off Batroc. But Batroc put a little distance between them,  **_“I thought you were more than just a shield.”_ ** , he taunted.

Steve put his shield back in its harness and took of his helmet, throwing it to the side,  **_“Let’s see”_ **

Steve and Batroc fought. Batroc again managed to kick Steve. Getting frustrated Steve tackled him and they both crashed in the door of the computer room, and went skidding in. He punched Batroc hard, knocking him out. He looked up. Natasha was still on the computer transferring data, “Well this is awkward.”

Steve frowned, "What are you doing here?"

Natasha smirked, Backing up the hard drive. It's a good practice to get into." 

Steve walked up to her, "Jonathan needed your help. What the hell are you doing here?!" He looked at computers, "You're saving SHIELD Intel" He realized

Natasha nodded, "Whatever I can get my hands on."

Steve frowned, "Our mission is to rescue hostages"

Natasha shook her head, "No that's your mission" she pulled the flash drive out of the port. "And you've done it beautifully."

Natasha tried to go past Steve. But he grabbed her arm, "You just jepordised this whole operation"

Natasha pulled out of Steve's grasp, "I think that's overstating things" 

Just then Batroc got up. He had a grenade in his hands. Before Steve or Natasha could react and before Batroc could throw it a taser bullet stuck to his clothes, tasing him. He fell to the ground unconscious, the grenade falling out of his hand. Jonathan came in and caught the grenade before it hit the floor throwing it out the door, "GET DOWN!!"

Natasha and Steve ducked under the computer desk and Jonathan tried to crawl to them. The grenade blew up and the force of the blast knocked Jonathan into the desk. He groaned as he hit his head and bruised his ribs.

Natasha spoke up, "Ok that one is on me." Steve looked at her disappointed, "You're damn right it is."

Steve helped Jonathan up, "Thanks for that. Are you alright?"

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah. A possible concussion and some bruised ribs that's all. I'll be right as rain by morning." He looked back at the unconscious Batroc. "Soooo. That was fun. I suggest we get moving before he decides to throw another grenade"

Steve carried Batroc over his shoulder in a fireman hold and they all made their way back to SHIELD HQ. As soon as they landed. Steve instructed Jonathan to go to the med bay and get himself checked out and he himself headed to Fury's office. Natasha frowned at his back but did not say anything.

"You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you Nick?", Steve accused as he entered Fury's office.

Fury didn't look affected by his words, "I didn't lie. Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours." 

Steve walked up to Fury's desk, "Which you didn't feel obliged to share"

Fury shrugged, "I am not obliged to do anything"

Steve came up to Fury's desk, "Those hostages could have died, Nick"

Fury looked at him, one eyebrow raised, "I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen"

"Soldiers trust each other. That's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around shooting guns", Steve argued.

"Last time I trusted someone I lost an eye. Look I didn't want you doing something you were not comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything." Fury stood up, leaning in Steve's face.

"I can't lead a mission when the people I am leading have missions of their own." Steve was not willing to back down

"It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because no one knows them all", Fury explained

"Except you" Steve pointed out. Fury sighed, "Look you are wrong about me I do share. Where is your new assistant? I thought he went with you on this mission?"

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose, "He's at the med bay. He got injured. He's getting it checked out. It was my fault. I was arguing with Natasha. Not paying attention to my surroundings. Batroc tried to blow us up. Jonathan came in at the right time and tased him. But he got hurt trying to dodge a grenade. I think his ribs got bruised."

Fury nodded, "Well that's alright. He does not have the clearance to see this anyways. You don't either technically but I am going to show you anyway. Come on then I don't have all day."

Steve and Fury went into an elevator. On the other side at the med bay a doctor looked at Jonathan's X-rays.

"Well Agent Lynch, your ribs are completely fine. Your CAT scan shows you don't have a concussion. I think you got lucky. I will give you some painkillers for the headache but you should be fine by the end of the day", said Dr. Fine

Natasha heard all this from behind a pillar. She frowned. Something was wrong about Agent Lynch. He had no way of knowing that Steve and Natasha were in the computer room. It was odd that he got there so fast when he had been all the way at the port side of the ship. And then there were his fast reflexes. For a new agent on his first day Agent Lynch showed exceptionally quick thinking, tasing Batroc and catching that grenade. Natasha had a feeling this one was not what he seemed. She will have to keep an eye on him. Natasha turned around and headed for Fury's office. She had a report to give.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So by now we have all seen CA:TWS so you know what info Zaaroc just absorbed.


	4. The Royal Palace (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor discovers something about Loki. Fandral and Volstagg struggle to understand the change in Thor and Sif is an embarrassment to her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for explicit content and BDSM themes

Thor grit his teeth to keep himself from saying something. It was night time and he was tired. All he had done was suggest to the council that they dig up the old records. He wanted to see if there was a chance some information about his grandmother Bestla still existed. But as soon as he made the suggestion, Uncle Ve and Uncle Vili protested it. They looked almost scared of digging up the old records. Thor understood that they were probably afraid of what Thor might stumble upon and how he might react to it. But honestly it was irritating him now. Odin wasn't here, if anything Vili and Ve could use this chance to unveil the truth instead they were making every attempt to stop Thor.

Thor banged his fist on the table, "Enough! My request is a simple one. I see no reason to not follow through with it. Lord Sten pull the old records from the time of my grandfather King Bor and great-grandfather King Buri. I want to study their policies. That is a command."

"But Thor…", Vili tried to argue. Thor held one hand up silencing him, "No uncle. I only wish to be well informed of my history. I'm not asking for a new palace or a new army. I fail to see how reading a few scrolls is a bad idea. Unless you can provide me with a good reason I don't want to hear anymore."

Vili fell silent at that. It's not like he could tell Thor he feared Thor might find out about his Jotun heritage. Thor had been counting on that. He turned to Lady Sigrid, "My Lady. The stalls were a success. I believe the people like Lady Ilvana. But I want to introduce her to the noble families as well. How do you suggest we proceed?"

Lady Sigrid, "The stalls were more than just successful, Your Grace. Lady Ilvana has a gift for understanding people. The general populace loves her. I have received ten gifts already sent by various traders from the market for Lady Ilvana. The children absolutely adore her. Lady Ilvana has decided to have a meeting with them once every week. I believe you should not have any troubles with the noble families either. Perhaps you can host a small feast and invite some of the Lords and Ladies? A ball would be another idea but I think we should wait to hold a ball. It will be more appropriate to host a ball when we are ready to announce your engagement to Lady Ilvana. I heard that Lord Egil, Lady Sif's father has recently returned from Alfheim. He had a successful hunt there. Maybe His Grace can host a small feast celebrating it and invite Lady Ilvana to it as well?"

Thor thought about it. He knew Ilvana and Sif did not get along. It was mostly Sif's fault. She had been hostile towards Ilvana since the first day. It was beginning to get on Thor's nerves. But surely Sif would behave in her father's presence, won't she? Especially if Thor invited other Lords and Ladies as well. He could convince Ilvana to be civil. The idea did have potential.

Thor nodded to Lady Sigrid, "Yes. I believe this is a good idea. Thank you Lady Sigrid. Lord Njal please have invitations sent out to the noble families inviting them to the feast tomorrow night. I believe all arrangements can be done by then. Is there any other matter we need to discuss for today?"

The council members shook their heads. "No Your Grace. That is all for today", General Tyr replied

Thor stood up, "Very well then. I shall take your leave. Have a good night, My Lords, My Lady"

The council members all murmured as they stood up as well. Thor made his way back to his room. Telling a guard to have dinner sent directly to his personal chambers. Thor entered his rooms. Being careful to lock the door. Loki was there in the form of Ilvana lounging on a divan, reading a book, wearing a red dress made of wispy material that clung to her frame and left little to the imagination. Thor loved this dress.

He removed the few pieces of armor he was wearing and sat by her feet, letting his hands skim over her leg, "How was your day, love?"

Loki closed the book and sat up, switching sides, so she was leaning against Thor. He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her more firmly against himself as he leaned back on the divan.

Loki hummed, "It went well. Apparently the people like me so much they are sending me gifts now. I strolled through the gardens and read some books. There are far less people in the palace than I remember these days. It feels odd."

Thor nodded, "I know what you mean. I rarely see someone in the hallways other than the guards. I think even some of the servants are gone. I know we don't have any visitors from other realms. I think maybe I should hold an open court. Let the people come to me directly…" Thor played with the lace on Loki's dress.

Loki tapped her chin in thought, "No. Not so soon. Let's wait another week. I want us to find some information about Bestla and have it made public before we hold an open court. We can solve the people's problems and answer any questions they have together. We need to introduce me to the noble families first. Let the people get used to you being King a little more. Are we having dinner here? Because I'm not changing my dress now"

Thor smiled, "Yes we're having dinner here. I love this dress. I don't want you to change. You should wear it more often." Thor ran his hand down Loki's side. The dress was thin enough that Loki felt Thor's touch through it. She shivered. She could feel Thor's gaze on her and his lust over the bond. Loki pulled away. Thor's emotions over the bond wavered a little. Loki bit her lip. She knew Thor wanted this form as much as he wanted her male form. It was just…..

Thor watched as an odd sort of nervousness overcame Loki's features. He had noticed that Loki was hesitant whenever she was in her female form and they got close. He wasn't sure what it was. But there was one thing he wanted her to know.

Thor turned Loki to face him, "Loki? It's alright to say no. You know that don't you? I don't want you to be uncomfortable. I will never ever force you Loki. If you don't want sex in your female form just say so."

Loki blinked. Thor looked worried. She realized how her behavior looked from an outside perspective. Oh. Loki cupped Thor's cheeks and kissed him, "That is very sweet of you Thor. Truly. I know you will never force me. And I do want you in this form. It's just…..you know….I rarely used my female form…..and nobody on Asgard really knows I can do this….and when it came to sex….I didn't really want to lure someone with this form and sleep with them without them knowing it was...well me", Loki shrugged. Thor blinked at her confused.

Loki looked down at her lap, blushing, "um….what I'm trying to say…..is that I've…. I've never really…." 

She trailed off but Thor caught on. He looked at her surprised. Loki was blushing and Thor could feel her embarrassment over the bond. Oh. OH. Thor put a finger under her chin and turned her face up to look at him. Loki closed her eyes, her cheeks burning. Oh.

Thor looked at her in wonder, "You're saying you have never had sex with anyone in your female form. That…. you're technically a virgin…..is that what you're saying?"

Loki pulled out of Thor's hold, "Look the occasion never came alright! I didn't want to pretend to be someone else and sleep with someone who thought that this form is all I am. And then I stopped using my female form and the opportunity never came…"

Thor grinned. This he could work with. He shuffled closer to Loki who was looking at him through narrowed eyes and wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her half on his lap, "So you've never done this with anyone…?" Loki shook her head. Thor brushed a thumb over her lips, "No one has seen you like this. No one has felt this form underneath them" 

Thor ran a hand over Loki's stomach, over her breasts. His touch light, barely there but it still made Loki gasp, "No. Never"

Thor leaned in, his nose brushing Loki's, their breaths mingling, "I will be the first person to touch you like this? To see you lost in pleasure in this form?"

Loki nodded, "The only person…"

Thor moaned, capturing Loki's lips in a deep kiss, tangling his tongue with hers. When they came up for breath, Thor stroked Loki's cheek, "That you trust me with this body with this form is a gift. But what I said stands. If you ever feel uncomfortable. If there is ever something you do not want just tell me to stop and I will"

Loki nodded, "I know. And the same is true for you. I won't hold it against you if you say no to me. I think we've gotten better at communication. I don't remember us solving our problems so easily before."

Thor hummed, "Well it does help that I can feel your emotions. I think we've grown. I think this is a good thing, right?"

A servant knocked on their door, "Your Grace? I have come to serve dinner. Shall I come in?"

Loki pulled away conjuring a robe over the dress. Thor got up and unlatched the door, letting the servant in directing him to put the food on the table by the fireplace, dismissing him for the night. Loki could vanish the dishes once they were done. Thor did not want any more interruptions tonight. They ate, sitting by the fireplace, chatting about this and that.

Later Loki was sitting on the bed, still in female form. She didn't feel like switching tonight. Thor went about the room, putting his things in place before sliding in bed, laying down beside Loki. She immediately snuggled up to him.

Thor remembered he had yet to tell Loki about the feast tomorrow. He stroked Loki's hair, "Loki?"

"Hmm?" Came the sleepy response.

"Uh….I forgot to tell you earlier…..we are having a feast in the honor of Lord Egil tomorrow. He just returned from a successful hunt on Alfheim. I have invited the other noble Lords and Ladies as well. Lady Sigrid suggested it will be a good way to introduce you to the noble families." Thor explained quickly.

Loki frowned, sitting up on her elbows, "Lord Egil? Isn't that Sif's father?" Loki wasn't feeling sleepy suddenly, "Thoooor! Why?!! Sif hates me! Why would you throw a feast in her father's name?!! She's going to ruin it!!" 

Thor sat up on his elbows as well, "Oh come on Loki. I know Sif's behavior has been terrible. But there will be other people there!! Surely she will not want to cause a scene before everyone. Please? We need to integrate you among the nobles. The council likes you, so do the people. We need the nobles on our side too. Please? It's just dinner and a little dancing, some small talk. I promise I won't let the feast go out of hand…"

Loki looked at Thor. She was one hundred percent sure that having more people around won't deter Sif but Thor was looking at her with big pleading eyes. Loki huffed dropping back down on the bed, looking at the ceiling, "Fine! But if Sif is anything but civil I'm turning her wine to snakes!"

Thor smiled at her, "Thank you so much Loki!" 

Thor laid butterfly kisses all over her face and neck, making Loki giggle as his beard tickled her, "Stop it! Thor! Stop you insufferable oaf! That tickles!" 

Loki pushed Thor away. She was pouting. He grinned. He laid back down beside Loki, wrapping his arms around her, pulling the blanket up to cover them both. He pushed Loki's hair aside, kissing her neck, burying his nose there. Loki put her hands on top of Thor's twining their fingers. The bond hummed pleasantly. Thor closed his eyes, letting it lull him to sleep.

In the morning, Thor woke up to a solid body beside him, Loki having switched forms mid-sleep. Thor smiled. This was good. It meant Loki trusted Thor. He was still deeply asleep. The sun was barely peaking out of the clouds. It was early. Thor pulled away gently so as to not wake Loki. He went to the door and ordered the guards to not let anyone disturb him. Not even his friends. 

He went back to their bedroom. Loki was sitting on the bed, apparently having woken up sensing Thor was no longer beside him, rubbing his eyes.

Thor pulled a tunic from his closet, turning to Loki, "Good morning, love."

Loki yawned and dropped back down on the bed, turning over on his stomach and putting a pillow over his head. "It's too early! Stop being so cheery", he complained

Thor smiled. Loki was not a morning person. He preferred to stay up at night. Thor came up to the bed and kissed Loki's shoulder, "Come on. It's a beautiful morning. I have a handsome man in my bed. I'm allowed to be cheery." 

Thor could feel how much it pleased Loki that Thor called him handsome. Thor pushed Loki's hair aside and put his other hand on his ass. Thor whispered in his ear, "I don't have to be anywhere for two whole hours. I had plans…" He squeezed Loki's ass, making him moan. Thor pulled his hand away putting on a mock longing expression. "But I suppose if you want to sleep….I guess I'll just bathe and head to the training grounds….."

Thor hadn't taken two steps when he suddenly found himself naked and on the bed, arms and legs spread, his hands and feet tied to the bed frame in thick ropes that suspiciously felt like silk. Loki was sitting on his stomach, also naked, smiling like a cat, looking entirely too pleased.

He tutted at Thor, "Oh Thor.." Loki leaned over Thor's face, stretching out his arms and covering Thor's hands with his own. He was right there, a few millimeters from Thor's lips. Thor strained against the ropes but there was no leeway. 

Loki smiled widely again. He traced Thor's features with his lips, his touch feather light, leaving Thor wanting. Loki traced the shell of Thor's ear with his tongue, making him groan. "Haven't you understood by now…", Loki purred in Thor's ear, "You can't trick a trickster. You will always end up beneath me, no way out" 

Even as he said that Loki pushed a small silk ribbon in Thor's hand. Thor knew all he had to do to make the ropes disappear was drop it. But where was the fun in that? Thor tried to capture Loki's lips but he pulled away, settling back on Thor's stomach, stroking his cock, admiring the view. Thor was technically the most powerful person on Asgard and here he was tied to the bed at Loki's mercy. Loki groaned, tightening his hand around the base of his cock to stave off the orgasm. He wanted to take his time.

Loki ran his hands over Thor's torso feeling the muscles as Thor bucked under his touch. He pinched Thor's nipples then replaced his fingers with his lips making Thor moan. Loki took his time exploring Thor's body with his tongue and lips. 

Thor moaned, helpless as Loki used his tongue and lips to drive him mad. Thor's cock was so hard it hurt, "Come on Loki. Please…." Thor bucked his hips seeking some relief.

Loki kissed Thor's stomach and moved down so he was sitting between Thor's spread legs. He looked at Thor from underneath his lashes as he took the head of his cock in his mouth and sucked. Thor moaned letting his head drop on the pillow and panted looking at the ceiling. Loki took Thor's cock in his throat as far as he could, before pulling back twisting his tongue around it. He licked Thor's cock from the root to the head and dipped his tongue in Thor's slit.

Thor couldn't take it anymore. He dropped the ribbon in his hand, the ropes disappeared. Thor gripped Loki's hair and pulled him off his cock, turning so Loki was beneath him. He put his hand on Loki's throat, tightening his grip to just this side of uncomfortable. Loki swallowed. His eyes were blown wide, pupils black eclipsing the green. There was color high on his cheeks. Thor kissed him hard, his tongue in Loki's mouth, dominating and demanding. Loki surrendered easily, letting Thor dominate him.

Thor pushed Loki's thighs apart with his knee, letting go of his throat to wrap one leg around his waist, running his finger down Loki's perineum and touching his hole with the tip of his finger. He used his grip in Loki's hair to tilt his head and bite his throat, sinking his teeth in Loki's skin, leaving his mark. It would heal before nightfall but for now Thor was happy. 

He turned Loki's face towards him, tapping his hole, "Oil." Loki murmured something and Thor's fingers were slick with oil. He circled Loki's hole a few times before pushing one finger in to the first knuckle. Loki moaned, putting his arms around Thor's neck and pulling him down for another kiss. Thor slowly opened Loki, scissoring his fingers, moving them in and out of Loki till he could he could push three fingers in and out easily. Then he searched, looking for the sweet spot and rubbing it. The effect was immediate. Loki moaned and dug his nails in Thor's shoulder.

"Come up. I'm ready. I want you in me now. I want to feel you.", Loki panted.

Thor pulled his fingers out, wrapping Loki's other leg around his waist, lifting his hips off the bed, nudging his hole with his cock, letting it catch Loki's rim. Thor slowly pushed inside till his balls touched Loki's ass. He paused letting Loki adjust to the feeling. After a minute Loki nudged Thor's back with his heel. Thor took the que and pulled out slowly before pushing back in aiming for Loki's prostate. 

He leaned on his elbows over Loki and picked up the pace. Loki wrapped his arms and legs around Thor, pulling him down, relishing the feel of Thor's weight pressing him down. Thor moved in and out of Loki, reaching down and stroking Loki's cock. Loki moaned as Thor hit his prostate at the same time stroking Loki's cock twisting his hand around the head. He came, his nails scratching Thor's back nearly drawing blood. Loki's channel constricted, squeezing Thor's cock making him cum too. They both panted, their foreheads touching.

Thor pulled out of Loki carefully and rolled to the side, laying down beside him, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Loki turned on his stomach again, moving his fingers to clean the mess of cum from his body and their sheets. He hugged a pillow sighing happily. They both lay there enjoying the afterglow, reveling in the pleasant hum of the bond.

Eventually the sun was high enough in the sky that it's rays fell over the bed through the window. Loki and Thor got up, bathing together and getting ready for the day. Loki wore a black dress with a high collar to cover the mark on her neck. 

Thor came to stand beside her, turning sideways to look at the scratch marks on his back. "Well I guess I can't wrestle with the soldiers today. How am I supposed to explain these?" 

Loki pinched his side, "Shut up. At least you can cover them up." She pointed to the mark still slightly visible through the collar, "What am I supposed to do with this? Now help me with my hair. I want to pin them up today."

Thor pulled on a tunic and then helped Loki pin her hair up. She pointed to Mjolnir that had been sitting in a corner since they moved in these rooms, "If you plan to be at the training grounds today, you should take it with you." 

Thor sighed, "It doesn't really feel like my weapon now that I know it used to belong to Hela. But I guess it's better than taking Gungir with me everywhere…."

Loki stroked Thor's cheek, "Perhaps once everything has come to light you can choose a new weapon to wield."

Thor hummed, "Yes, perhaps….but for now this will have to do. Shall we go for breakfast?"

Loki shook her head, "I'm afraid I can't come. I promised to meet Lady Ravenna for breakfast. I am going to be teaching some of mother's former students today. Lady Ravenna reached out to me when she heard I am gifted in sedir. I am thinking of picking up where mother left off…."

Thor wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead, "There is none more worthy than you to carry on her legacy. I will see you in the evening. We can go to the feast together."

Loki smiled, "Alright. See you later."

Thor left, blindly calling Mjolnir to him and strapping to his belt. He went to his private dining hall for a quick breakfast. Fandral and Volstagg were there outside the door, talking to the guards.

Thor frowned, "Fandral? Volstagg? What are you doing here?"

Fandral smiled broadly at him, "Well can't I visit a friend. You're impossible to catch hold of these days. Volstagg and I thought we'd all go to the inn, catch up."

Thor pursed his lip, "It's eight in the morning. Don't you think it's a little early for the inn? I have duties to attend to. I don't have time. I'm sorry. Maybe some other time…"

Volstagg frowned, "Oh come on Thor. it's never too early for a pint of Mead. You're King. You can take a day off. Send someone in your place"

Thor crossed his arms, "Precisely. I am King. I of all people need to be responsible. How can I expect my subjects to perform their duties when I neglect my own? And before you suggest we all go to the inn in the evening, I have to attend a feast with Lady Ilvana. I can't…"

For some reason that made Volstagg smirk, "Oho! So it's all for the lady then! Has she been demanding you go with her everywhere? I saw you at the market with her the other day….women! They're all the same! You must be bored distributing things among the peasants…"

Thor's eye twitched. "The peasants are my subjects. It is not a hardship to tend to them. And don't speak of Lady Ilvana like this. Now move." , Thor growled.

It was a command and the guards stepped forward to ensure it was followed through. Fandral put his hands up, placating, "Alright. Alright. Volstagg didn't mean it like that. We can catch up another time. It's all fine….come on Volstagg the King is busy…" Fandral didn't wait for Volstagg to react, dragging him away. The guards stepped back.

Great now Thor's good mood was gone and he was running late. He ate breakfast and hurried to the training grounds. Meeting the new recruits and doing some drills with General Tyr did help Thor's mood some but not much. Lunch was as lonely as breakfast with Loki nowhere in sight. But Thor didn't begrudge her. It was good to see people were accepting her so easily.

After lunch Thor was in his private study going over some documents when there was a knock on the door. "Come in.", Thor said without looking up.

It was an aged woman with Lord Sten. They were both holding several dusty scrolls in their arms. Lord Sten had some cobwebs in his hair, "The old records you requested, Your Grace"

Thor quickly cleared his desk. "Ah. Yes. Put them here Lord Sten. Thank you so much. I will go through them." , Thor coughed as dust blew from the scrolls.

Lord Sten and the lady with him bowed and left. Thor frowned. Where to begin? The scrolls were all dusty. The paper looked like it would crumble under Thor's touch. Thor carefully picked one up, shaking it lightly to dispel the dust. He decided to sit on the floor. There was no space on the desk.

Thor sat on the floor cross legged and carefully unrolled the scroll. The ink had faded some but was still legible. It was a list of all the women recruited as Valkyries. It was signed by Bor. It stated Brunnhilde as commander of the Valkyries. So many names. They were all gone now. Thor put the scroll aside. 

He picked another scroll. It was a report of trade with Jotunheim. Thor read it carefully. It had names of the traders that had been sent to Jotunheim. Thor got a paper and quill and noted them down. He could have Lord Njal look at the citizen records and check if any of them were still alive. 

Thor spent the rest of the afternoon looking through the scrolls. Most of them were reports of the army and trade and even the crops. None of them had Hela or Bestla's name. But the reports had other names. Thor noted about 600 names. These were all people that worked closely with Jotunheim. Some of these people might still be alive. He had to track them down.

He didn't realize how much time had passed till Loki came in, leaning against the door, "Well isn't this a surprise. Thor Odinson knee deep in scrolls making notes. Our tutors might faint if they saw you now."

Thor grinned at her, "Yes. Though I think my nerdy little sister might appreciate it. She always nagged I didn't study enough" 

Loki stepped in the room, kneeling beside Thor, tugging his hair lightly, "I'm not nerdy you are not studious enough. What's all this? And why are you covered in dust? Did you dig this up from somewhere?"

Thor shook his head, "I didn't. These are the old records from the time of Bor and Buri. Lord Sten dug them from somewhere in the archives. I was going through them. They're mostly reports of trade and crops and the army. I found a list of recruits for the Valkyries. No mention of Hela or Bestla though."

Loki looked at the scrolls with interest, "Well that is to be expected. Odin is no fool. The information we are looking for can't be found so easily. Tell Lord Sten to keep digging. There must be something. Some scrap that Odin did not manage to erase. We have to keep looking. Now come on we have to go to that feast and you look like you rolled around in the attic." Loki brushed some dirt off Thor's shoulder.

Thor sighed, "Oh. Right. I forgot about that." He looked at his tunic. It was all dusty. Thor got up stretching, "I guess I better change if I want to look like a King."

Thor took off his dusty tunic and washed his face and arms. Loki waved a hand and all the scrolls were back on the desk arranged neatly in a pile. Thor pulled on a deep blue tunic and Loki opted for a wine red dress. Thor liked it when she wore red. She let her hair fall over her shoulders and helped Thor with his cape. They made their way to the banquet hall

They stopped at the door and the guards announced their presence, "King Thor, Ruler and Protector of the Nine Realms and Lady Ilvana Tygerve of Vanaheim."

Thor and Ilvana entered arm in arm. Thor sat at the head of the long table with Ilvana to his left and Lord Egil, the guest of honor to his right. Beside Lord Egil was his wife Lady Yana and Sif, who for once was wearing a dress. Though she didn't look happy about it. Or perhaps it was because Thor came with Ilvana that she had a frown on her face.

Thor raised his glass, "My friends we are gathered here to celebrate Lord Egil's success this hunting season. My Lord I hear you took down ten wild boars on your own! What a sight that must have been! Pour the Mead!!"

The servants filed in carrying flagons of Mead and platters of food. Ilvana picked at the food. It was too heavily spiced for her taste. She did not want to look odd by not eating. There was little chatter at the table while the people ate. Sif tried to get Thor to talk to her but he cut her attempts at conversation off by involving Ilvana and talking with her instead. The nobles at the table liked her inputs and soon were conversing with her like she was one of them. That made Sif glare at Ilvana the entire dinner. 

After dinner the servants cleared the food and moved the tables aside to make room for dancing. Some musicians came in and began playing a jolly tune. Thor took the first dance with Ilvana, spinning her around the room with ease. Ilvana could hear the people murmur among themselves clearly wondering about her relationship with Thor. She did not pay any attention to them, enjoying dancing with Thor. It had been ages since she danced like this. 

Sif seethed with anger as she saw Thor dance with that bitch from Vanahiem. Her mother glared at her, “Stop it Sif. Stop looking at Lady Ilvana like that. Behave yourself!”

Her father looked angry too, “Yes. Don’t think I didn’t notice you glaring at her all through dinner. This is unacceptable. She is the King’s guest. With the way things are looking, probably the future queen. It would go well with you and us if you don’t anger her or the King. Enough is enough."

"But father!", Sif protested. Some of the nobles beside them were looking at Sif suspiciously. Her father glared at her silencing her protests.

Thor and Ilvana's dance ended. The people clapped, moving to the dance floor themselves. Thor took her hand and they went to one corner. Sif's mother moved beside them pulling Sif with her, "You dance beautifully Lady Ilvana. I am Lady Yana, this is my daughter Sif. Well met"

Ilvana looked at Sif with one eyebrow raised. Clearly critcizing her appearance. But then she smiled at her mother. "Well met Lady Yana. Thank you for the compliment. But I'm afraid the credit goes to His Grace. He leads well." Ilvana smiled at Thor 

Thor shook his head, "You are being kind My Lady. I still remember the winter ball in Vanaheim where you yourself taught me to dance. 'Tis to your credit that I dance so well now."

Sif could see the hearts in Thor's eyes. She grit her teeth in frustration and said the first thing that came to her mind, "Would you stop looking at her like some lovesick idiot?!!! What's wrong with you?!!! What's so different about this one?!!! She's a power hungry whore like the rest of them!!!"

The silence that followed was deafening. All the nobles stared at Sif with expressions ranging from horror to anger to outright disgust. Ilvana was looking at her with resignation like she hadn't expected any better from Sif. Her mother looked mortified. Across the room her father looked angry. But it was the expression on Thor's face that made Sif take a step back.

Thor was looking at her with a calm expression, but his eyes were completely white with rage. No it wasn't rage. Sif could see electricity spark at Thor's fingertips. She had no idea Thor could do that. Sif thought he needed Mjolnir to summon his thunder.

"Y-your G-grace….S-Sif d-didn't m-mean t-to….", Her mother stammered trying to explain but stopped when Thor glared at her, lightning sparking from his eyes.

"Get out." Thor said softly. Sif stepped forward trying to salvage the situation, "But Thor…"

"GET OUT!!! NOW!!!", As Thor spoke a lightning bolt flew out of his hand barely missing Sif.

Ilvana stepped forward, holding Thor's trembling hand. "Lady Yana I believe it might be best if you leave for now." Ilvana addressed her mother who nodded. She backed away hurriedly, pulling Sif with her. A few guards came to Thor and the last thing Sif heard before the door of the banquet hall closed behind her was Ilvana commanding the guards as if she had been doing it her whole life.

Ilvana dismissed all the other nobles apologizing for the unpleasant turn of events. The nobles looked at her in sympathy. Some even reassuring her it wasn't her fault and they did not think such cruel things about her. Thor had his eyes closed and was pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to get a hold of his temper.

After they were gone Ilvana sighed. "Well that went well. I expected a few more dances before Sif snapped….but I guess she is more short tempered than I recall."

Thor shook his head, "Ilvana….. I'm…."

But Ilvana silenced. "Hush. Not here. Let's go back to our room."

They made their way back. Once the doors of their bedroom closed. Loki sighed shifting back to his male form. Thor sat on the bed with his head in his hands. Loki sat beside, unsure what to say.

"Loki…. I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you when you said that Sif would not hold her tongue….She ruined a good feast" Thor shook his head in dismay.

Loki shrugged, "Don't be sorry for Sif's actions. You are not responsible for what she does or does not do. She is a grown woman. She should know better. The feast went well I think. The nobles mostly blamed Sif. I just feel sorry for her parents. Poor Lady Yana almost melted in shame." 

"Yeah….I won't hold her actions against them. They are welcome to the palace but if Sif cannot behave she has no place here." Thor ran a hand through his hair, getting up and changing into his night clothes.

Loki pulled the covers back laying down. He thought about Sif. She was really digging a hole for herself. But it was not Loki's problem. Not anymore. He turned his attention to Thor. "I had no idea you could summon your lightning like that. Where did you pick that up from?"

Thor lay down beside him. "I did not pick it up from anywhere. It has only happened one other time. When you transferred your memories to my mind. I came back from the dreamscape and couldn't stop thinking about Odin. I was so angry. I almost blew up Jane's house."

Loki looked at Thor with interest, "Oh! Why didn't you tell me before?!!" Loki pulled Thor's hand and held it up to his face, turning it this way and that, trying to see if he could feel Thor's power.

Thor chuckled, gently pulling his hand from Loki's grasp. "Other things took precedence. Like bringing the other half of my soul back to life. I honestly forgot about it. Zaaroc thinks I don't need Mjolnir to use my lightning. I haven't tested it yet though." 

Loki looked aghast. Like Thor had said they couldn't celebrate Yule, "You haven't…... unbelievable! This is unacceptable! We have to fix this immediately!"

Loki made to get up but Thor wrapped an arm around his waist pulling him down beside him, "We can test it. In the morning. Like normal people. Night is for sleeping. Weren't you teaching sedir all day? You need to rest. We can experiment with my powers all you want tomorrow morning."

Loki pouted. But it felt nice to sleep in Thor's arms. So he let it go. It had been a long day and he was exhausted. "Fine. But if you don't wake up early tomorrow morning. I'm kicking you out of bed. You only have so much time to spare and we need to assess your powers properly."

"Yes Loki…. I'll get up early….promise….now sleep." Thor was already half asleep by the time he finished that sentence.

Loki smiled at him, kissing his forehead, making a note of the best position from which to kick Thor off the bed. No way was he getting up on time tomorrow. Loki had best be prepared….

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. Thor totally got kicked out of bed the next morning😉


	5. The Good People of Asgard (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of plotting uncles, scheming friends and hidden allies....

** The Archive Room, Royal Palace of Asgard **

Lord Vili looked around making sure no one was watching him. He hurriedly pulled some scrolls out of the shelves and hid them in the folds of his robe. He looked around again to see if someone had seen him. Then he left the archive, walking briskly down the hallway, kept his posture as normal as he could so as to not draw suspicion. He left the palace and went to his house. He hurried to his personal study. He pulled some floorboards loose and hid the scrolls he had brought with him there.

Vili sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow. He was fortunate there were so few people in the palace these days. It made it easy for him to smuggle these scrolls out. They had orders written in his mother's hand. Bor allowed Bestla to have equal power and she often wrote orders in the King's name. The problem was a lot of these orders referred to Jotuns or half Jotuns. If Thor saw them he will have questions. Questions that Vili would not be able to answer.

Vili got up with a little effort. He was not the man he had once been. He sat at his desk putting his head in his hands. It was not that Vili didn't want Thor to know the truth. It was just that Odin still lived. He was not awake but he was alive. Sooner or later he was going to wake up. When he did if he got even a hint that Thor was privy to his misdeeds, there would be Hel to pay. Vili wasn't even sure from where Thor got it in his head that he needed to look at the old records. It didn't matter. Vili would make sure Thor did not find anything too revealing. Not while Odin still lived.

** Stigr's Inn, Central Market, Asgard **

Sif sat in one corner of the inn, away from the people, drinking alone. Her mother and father were angry with her. In the morning a guard from the palace had come and read out an order stating that Sif was banned from the palace and that if she was found even a meter from it she would be exiled for the rest of her life. The guard said Thor had chosen to allow her father and mother to be exempt from this punishment as he did not hold them responsible for Sif's actions. Her mother had sobbed in relief and her father had given a token to the guard for bringing them this good news.

Then they had both yelled at her once again for her rude behavior. Sif didn't get it. She understood that calling Ilvana a power hungry whore like that had been a little rude. But it didn't warrant this stupid order Thor had sent. Something was wrong. This kind of behavior wasn't like Thor. Ilvana had done something to him. Sif was sure of it. Ilvana was gifted in sedir. She must have done some spell to capture Thor's mind. That was the only explanation for everything Thor had been doing since his return. Sif finished her Ale. She needed another opinion and she knew just where to find it.

** The Archives, Royal Palace of Asgard **

Ve hid behind a shelf and watched as Vili hurried out the door with some scrolls tucked in his robe. Very went over to the shelf Vili had been rifling through. Most of the scrolls were gone. But Vili had missed one. Ve picked it up and unrolled it. It was a blueprint of the palace from Bor's time. Some of these rooms no longer existed but Ve knew some had simply been covered up with false walls. Perfect. Ve knew Vili was hesitant about Thor finding out the truth but in Ve's opinion the time to do something was now. They had control. Odin was out the way for the moment. There would never be a better chance.

Ve rolled up the scroll and headed towards Thor's room. There were guards posted at the door. "Tell His Grace I wish to deliver some documents to him post haste." 

One of the guards nodded and knocked on the door. It was Lady Ilvana who responded, opening the door. If she was surprised to see Ve, she did not show it. "Lord Ve. Come in! Come in!"

Ilvana stepped away from the door letting Ve in. Thor was sitting on the floor. The furniture had been moved aside to make room for about a dozen scrolls. There was a smudge of dust on his left cheek. He appeared to be making notes. 

Thor smiled at Ve, "Uncle! What brings you here? Please come sit….uh…" Thor looked around trying to find a spot for Ve.

Ve shook his head, "No that's alright. I was looking through some of my old books and I found this among them." Ve pulled out the scroll and handed it to Thor, "I borrowed it from the archives long ago and forgot to return it. I remembered you were looking through the old records. This might help."

Thor took the scroll looking at it with interest, "Thank you uncle. Are you sure you can't sit for a little while? We haven't talked outside the council room in ages…"

Ve shook his head, "Some other time Thor. Besides, you are busy. I don't want to interrupt. Perhaps we can catch up after the council meeting tomorrow…"

Thor smiled, "Yes. I would like that. Invite Uncle Vili as well. It has been too long….I will see you later…"

Ve nodded at Thor and smiled at Ilvana as he left. The game had been set now all he had to do was wait for Thor to make a move.

** Bifrost Dome, Asgard **

Heimdall looked across the realms. He felt a strange burning cold in his eyes. It had been happening since Loki had used the Casket of Ancient Winters on him. At first he thought it was an after effect of the attack. But then his vision started to get blurry at times. Heimdall was worried something was wrong with his sight. That he had not seen Malekith till the very last moment was worrying. And afterwards he had been having problems looking into the other realms. All of this weighed heavily on his mind.

He sighed and turned his eyes towards the palace. He again tried to see in Thor's room but there was a powerful shield around it. No matter how hard Heimdall tried he was not able to see past it. He grit his teeth in frustration. Something was going on, Heimdall could feel it. Lady Ilvana seemed to have appeared from nowhere. No matter what Thor claimed. He had not known her before. So why now? Why was she here now?

Heimdall saw Sif approach on a horse. Ah. Of course. He had seen what happened yesterday. To be honest Heimdall understood Sif's anger towards Ilvana but she had acted rashly. Ilvana was clearly an intelligent woman. Sif should have been more tactful in how she dealt with her. 

Sif tied her horse and went up to Heimdall. He tilted his head to acknowledge her, "Lady Sif what brings you here?"

Sif sighed, "Come now Heimdall you know why I am here. Surely you saw what happened yesterday. I can't believe Thor banned me from the palace. It's all her fault! She's poisoning Thor's mind against us. We have to do something!"

Heimdall raised one eyebrow, "Ilvana may be poisoning Thor's mind but you did yourself no favors yelling at her like that yesterday, Sif. She is a cunning woman. To defeat her we need to be cunning too. Fandral and Volstagg tried to get Thor away from the palace but did not succeed. We have to try something else"

Sif frowned, "Thor is adamant on being around Ilvana all the time. He rarely leaves her side. I am sure she has done some spell on Thor. That is the only explanation for his strange behavior. We can't sit here twiddling our thumbs. We have to get her away from Thor and strip her of her magic and we have to do it fast"

Heimdall thought about it, "The cuffs used to subdue Loki are gone but the chains are still there. They are our best option. You are banned from the palace but Fandral and Volstagg have access to it. I will guide them and they can retrieve it. Ilvana meets with the children in the market. She brings very few guards with her. We can kidnap her then. Once her magic is gone, Thor will be free from her spell and all will be well."

Sif leaned in, "And what if subduing her magic doesn't do the trick?"

Heimdall smirked. He held Hofund in the light, "Then...then we cut off her cunning head from her treacherous body…."

** Stigr's Inn, Central Market, Asgard **

Stigr wiped the bar and watched as Lady Sif left without bothering to pay for her drink. He shook his head. That one was a spoiled brat. Stigr had worked at this inn for nearly three thousand years. He had seen a lot of bad eggs and Lady Sif was one of the rotten ones.

He gathered the empty flagons and went to the store room. Stigr took down another barrel of Mead. Behind it was a wall with a false panel. It blended well within the wall and only if someone knew to look for it would they find it. Stigr put the barrel down and looked around. There was no one in the store room but him. He carefully removed the panel. Inside were a few old letters and a small portrait

Sitgr pulled the portrait and looked at it. It was a young woman. She had blue skin and ruby red eyes. Her hair was black. She was Gróa. She was Stigr's beloved. Of course he had no idea if she was still alive or if she still loved him as she once had. The war had torn them and their realms apart. Stigr still hoped to be united with her. If not in life then in death. Stigr's hair was greying and he was getting on in years. The picture he had of Gróa was from when they had been young. Stigr wondered how she looked now. Was there grey in her hair as well? Did her knees creak when bent to pick something? He didn't know.

Stigr put the portrait back in it's hiding place. He knew it was risky but he couldn't get rid of it or of the letters. They were the only memory of Gróa he had left. He couldn't bear to let them go. Stigr blinked the tears out of his eyes. At least Prince Thor was King now. Stigr had seen him in the streets tending to the poor. Something King Odin had never bothered with. Stigr took it as a good omen. Perhaps with King Thor as the ruler Asgard might settle their differences with Jotunheim and Stigr might be reunited with Gróa. But for now Stigr had customers to tend to. He picked up the barrel and went about his business.

**Late at Night, Heimdall's House, Asgard**

Fandral looked around the table with a disbelieving expression. But Sif, Volstagg and Heimdall looked at him with a serious expression. They were actually serious about this. They were actually considering kidnapping Lady Ilvana. Fandral couldn't believe the sheer stupidity of his friends. He had expected better at least from Heimdall.

Fandral doubted kidnapping Ilvana would do any good. In fact he was positive that it would result in them all being banished if Thor didn't behead them in a fit of anger that is. Everyone was looking at him for a response. Fandral paused, putting on a contemplating expression. If he refused to join his friends they might find someone worse and surely they would not let Fandral just leave now that he knew of their plans. No they might tie him to the very chair he was sitting on. If he pretended to go along with their plan he might get a chance to warn Thor or Ilvana. 

Fandral knew that would be betraying his friends' trust. But really they just needed to wake up and realize that this was life now. Thor was King. He loved Ilvana and that was that. It was better to accept it than to fight it. He had tried to explain it to them many times. But they refused to listen. It was time for Fandral to think for himself. He did not want to leave Asgard. It was his home. And if Fandral had to cut his losses to be here then….well he never claimed to be all that noble anyways….

Fandral nodded to the three pairs of eyes staring at him, "Alright. I'm in. What do I have to do…..?"

TBC….

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sitgr is one of the many on Asgard that are technically hiding. As this story's summary says: not all on Asgard is as it seems


	6. To Spy on a Spy (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Steve makes a friend and Fury and Zaaroc come to the same conclusion albeit in different ways

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone .....I am still here....I have been working on the story....I just did not have time to edit the chapters so.....sorry for the delay.....

**Jonathan's Apartment, Washington DC**

Zaaroc let out a frustrated breath. His 'apartment' if one could call it that had a bug problem. Someone in SHIELD, probably Nicholas Fury had rigged his apartment with more listening devices than necessary even for a spy. It would be fine but with his heightened senses Zaaroc could hear the static over them all day. It was irritating. To top it all off the information he had gotten from Lemurian Star and SHIELD's mainframe was also confusing him.

Either Zaaroc didn't understand how spy organizations on Midgard worked or SHIELD was fucking bipolar. Half the people did one thing and the other half then worked to ruin it all. It was like someone was giving the same orders twice, tweaking them so they were just a little bit different and led to drastically different results. Zaaroc had a headache trying to understand if an order matched SHEILD's so called directives or if someone had hijacked them and inserted their own orders there. He needed another opinion.

Zaaroc looked at the time. Damn he was running late. He had a training session with Natasha. Zaaroc wasn't fooled by her casual behavior. He knew she was suspicious of him. He was well aware that she and Fury were keeping a close eye on him. It didn't bother him. He could leave anytime he wanted. Fury or SHIELD did not have enough knowledge about magic to trap him.

Zaaroc got ready. He stored the memory stone containing the information in a pocket dimension. He made sure nothing worthwhile was outside and headed for SHIELD HQ.

**Potomac River, Washington DC**

Sam Wilson jogged by the Potomac River. A tall blonde guy ran past him, "On your left!" Sam paid him no mind and kept jogging. As he ran past National Mall, the guy again ran past him, "On your left!"

"Uh huh, on  _ my _ left. Got it." Sam kept running. Sam was just at the end of his lap, a bit out of breath when he heard someone behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it was that guy again. He was over taking Sam again. Sam was annoyed now, "Don't say it. Don't you say it!"

The guy overtook him again, "On your left!" Sam huffed irritated, "Come on! Oh!" Sam tried to over take the guy but he was too fast. Sam sat down by some trees, panting.

"Need a medic?" The guy was standing beside him, smiling at him

Sam shook his head, "Need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran 13 miles in like 30 minutes."

"Guess I got a late start", the guy shrugged.

"Really?! You should be ashamed of yourself", Sam joked. "You should take another lap. Did you take it? I assume you just took it…"

"What unit you with?" The guy who Sam now recognized since he was up close asked.

"58th pararescue. But now I'm working down at the VA", Sam replied. "Sam Wilson"

"Steve Rogers", Steve pulled Sam on his feet.

"Yeah I kinda put that together", Sam grunted as Steve helped him up. "Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing…"

"It takes some getting used to", Steve shrugged, "Good to meet you Sam"

"It's your bed right?", Sam called out as Steve turned to leave. Steve stopped, "What's that?"

"Your bed", Sam repeated. "It's too soft. When I was there I'd sleep on the ground. Use rocks for pillow like a caveman. Now I'm home lying on my bed and it's like…."

"Like lying on a marshmallow….feel like I'm going to sink right to the floor…." Steve finished "How long?"

"Two tours", Sam replied, "You must miss the good old days huh?"

Steve shrugged, "Things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better. We used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading on it a lot. Catching up."

Sam nodded, "Marvin Gaye, 1972. Trouble Man soundtrack. Everything you missed in one album."

Steve smiled pulling out a notebook, "I'll put it on the list." Steve jotted it down in a list with various other things.

Steve had an alert on his phone. It was for a meeting with Jonathan. He held out his hand for Sam to shake, "All right Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you want to call it…"

Sam shook his hand, eyebrows raised, "Oh that's how it is?"

Steve nodded, "That's how it is."

Steve turned to leave. "Anytime you want to stop by the VA make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know", Sam called out. Steve nodded, "I'll keep it in mind"

A car stopped beside the curb. It was Natasha, "Hey fellas. Either of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil." 

Steve rolled his eyes, "That's hilarious"

Jonathan who was in the back seat spoke up, "I know right? I mean isn't he older than that. Maybe fossil isn't accurate. What's older than a fossil?"

Steve shook his head, "Just what I needed…..you two realizing you can be friends…..great…."

Natasha thought about it, "I don't know. We sparred. I almost dislocated Jonathan's shoulder, he almost broke my jaw. I think we're a lot closer now…."

Steve got in the car and waved at Sam as they left. Once on the road he turned to Natasha, "So what are we doing exactly? I didn't get any order from Fury about new missions."

Natasha kept looking at the road, "We don't have a mission. Actually we are kind of on a holiday at the moment. I thought I should use the time and teach you boys some tricks. We're gonna visit the Captain America exhibit at the museum. Let's call this exercise 'Hiding in Plain Sight'. The goal is to not be recognized even when there are literally dozens of pictures of you around."

Steve frowned, "Your idea of a holiday is way off you know."

Natasha smirked, "Oh come on fossil. I thought you were the greatest soldier ever. Don't you wanna see if you can be the greatest spy? Come on. Think about Jonathan. Who's going to teach him all the tricks? You have to learn them yourself first."

Steve looked at Jonathan, who put on a pleading expression. "Ugh! Fine! But just so you know. I have no interest in being a spy"

Natasha shrugged, "Don't knock it till you've tried it."

Fifteen minutes later Steve was wearing a jacket and a baseball cap and trying to not stand out at the Captain America exhibit while a reel of him leading soldiers played in the background. Jonathan was reading Bucky's history and Natasha was watching the dummy that displayed his old uniform. 

A little boy was looking at him with wide eyes. Steve put his finger on his lips to silence the boy, smiling at him. He walked up to Bucky's exhibit. His death still haunted Steve. 

"What was he like?" , Jonathan asked in a hushed tone. 

Steve sighed, "Carefree. He knew just what to say to make me feel better. He didn't want to join the army you know. He got drafted. I was so jealous. I tried to get in the army but they rejected me and here Bucky was being practically invited. Then the serum happened and I became a soldier and then I heard Bucky's unit had been captured and all I could think was 'He didn't want it.' He wasn't even supposed to be there. Everybody keeps saying I'm the greatest soldier in history but if I was the greatest Bucky might have lived. Some soldier I am. Couldn't even save my best friend"

Jonathan looked down at his feet, "The guilt never goes away does it? You keep thinking what if? If I had been faster. If I had realized what was going on sooner. And on and on. You just….you wonder if maybe….just maybe you could've done something differently….then maybe your brother might still be here…."

Steve didn't think Jonathan was talking about him and Bucky anymore, "You lose somebody?"

Jonathan nodded, "My brother tried to kill himself…..then disappeared for a year…...when he came back he wasn't himself. And the whole time I kept thinking…..I should've noticed sooner. I should've paid more attention.….then…..maybe….."

Steve could understand, "How is he now? You brother. Is he well now?"

Jonathan looked at Steve, "He's dead. I was too late…..and now…..I guess I'll never know if I could have done something differently. My whole family's kind of broken right now. Mother's gone. Brother's gone. I have another brother but we tend to argue more than anything else. Father……died a long time ago. I've only ever seen his pictures……."

Natasha came to stand beside them, "You both have been standing here for too long. It's odd. Attracts attention."

Jonathan shrugged, "I guess we should leave then. I'm not in the mood anymore anyways…."

Jonathan left without waiting for a response. Steve turned to Natasha, "What do we know about Jonathan? How did he even end up in SHIELD?"

Natasha pursued her lips, "His records say he was in the FBI before this. He has a good record. A few failures here and there but overall he's a good agent. He is supposed to be an excellent tracker. He has previously broken a human trafficking racket and found the leader of a huge drug mafia. He's good at finding people no doubt about it. SHIELD absorbs the cream of the crop from the other agencies and puts them to better use after some additional training at the Academy. Fury thinks he can be a valuable addition I guess…"

Steve nodded, "And what about his family? He seems pretty upset about losing his brother…."

Natasha shrugged, "He's the eldest so he probably feels responsible. I don't actually know much about his family other than the fact that he has two brothers both younger."

Steve looked at the exhibit displaying Bucky's history, "I'm sorry Natasha….I think I want to leave too. I just…. it's too much…...all this…..I…..to me it feels like they were all alive just yesterday….and now….. I'm sorry….maybe some other time…."

As Steve was leaving he saw a theater that was showing Peggy describing her experience during the war. Steve listened to it. He pulled out the compass with Peggy's picture. Later that day Steve sat in Peggy's room at the old home looking at the pictures of her family.

"You should be proud of yourself, Peggy" Steve looked at Peggy. She was now old and had Alzheimer's. It was one of the rare days when she had remembered Steve was back.

Peggy looked at the pictures, "Mmmm. I have lived a life. My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours." Steve looked down. Peggy raised her eyebrows, "What is it?"

Steve looked at her, "For as long as I can remember I just wanted to do what was right. Now…..I'm not sure what it is anymore. And…..I thought I could throw myself back in, follow orders…" Steve shrugged, "It's just not the same…."

Peggy chuckled, "You're always so dramatic. Look you saved the world. We….rather mucked it up."

Steve shook his head, "You didn't. Knowing that you helped found SHIELD is half the reason I stay…"

Peggy held Steve's hand, "Hey! The world has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best. And sometimes the best we can do is to start over…."

Peggy coughed. Steve got up, poured her a glass of water and returned to her bedside. Peggy stopped coughing but when she looked at Steve it was as if she was seeing him for the first time. "Steve! You're alive! You came back! It's been so long. So long…."

Steve could do nothing but say what he had when he first came to meet Peggy in the old home, "Yeah. I did. I couldn't leave my best girl. Not when she still owes me a dance…."

**The Dreamscape**

"So what do you think? It's odd isn't it?", Zaaroc who was back in his original form asked.

Loki looked up from the memory stone at Zaaroc, "Hmmm. Not necessarily. It does seem like half of SHIELD is….not following the right path. But maybe that's the point…."

Thor who had been watching the two spoke up, "You're saying SHIELD has lied about it's objectives. But this one half seems very dedicated to it. It's almost like two different organizations…."

The idea sparked in Loki and Zaaroc at the same time. Loki kissed Thor firmly, "That's it!!! You are brilliant!!!!"

Thor smiled, "Thank you….but what did I do…?"

Zaaroc spoke up, "SHIELD…. you're right Thor it is not just SHIELD. There's another organization functioning from within SHIELD. Almost like…."

"Like a parasite", Loki finished, "Director Fury makes a plan and then someone from within comes and disrupts it. Not much. Just a little. Just so Fury's agents end up doing something that serves the motives of the parasite. I wonder….. it's possible that entire orders were changed to serve the parasite rather than SHIELD. Fury doesn't even realize it….."

Zaaroc leaned in, "Exactly. Damn. And I have still not been able to locate the scepter. It just disappeared. I bet even Fury has no idea where it is. He has this way of doing things. Compartmentalization, he calls it. I think at this point it's helped the parasite grow within SHIELD more than actually helping SHIELD itself."

Thor frowned, "Is there any big project SHIELD is implementing in the near future? You said this ship….the one you rescued hostages from….was launching satellites….did you find out what they were doing it for?"

Zaaroc shook his head, "The satellites already exist. They were sending information to it. It's supposed to be top secret. But I have all the information from the ship. SHIELD is set to launch a project called Project Insight. Once it's running, they will be able to spy and kill any person on Midgard. Kind of like a human version of what Heimdall does. The whole see anyone no matter where they are….I already hate it…."

Loki made a disgusted face, "Director Fury actually approved it? How disgusting! People have a right to some privacy! This isn't protection. It's domination, control and loss of agency"

Thor nodded, "I agree. SHIELD has no right to spy on people like this. Nor do they have the right to kill people based solely on suspicion without proof or trial. That is murder. The parasite within SHIELD cannot be allowed to have access to this system. The results would be devastating….."

Zaaroc nodded, "Agreed. This takes precedence. I will focus all my attention to Project Insight. Let me do some more digging. I believe Steve Rogers is already aware of this project. I doubt he agrees with it completely. I'll push the suspicion. I need more evidence before I go to Fury. Chances are he might think  **I** am one of the bad guys. It's best to have solid evidence before approaching him. Maybe I'll ask Aroa to help…. she's already helped me set up a false identity but I could use another set of eyes to look at all of SHIELD's information. How are things at your end? Any progress on finding information about Hela or Bestla…?"

Thor sighed, "Well I now know how much grain was stored during the entirety of Buri and Bor's reigns. As for information…..not really…."

Loki huffed, "There's loads of information. Problem is it's all about crops and fields and trade. Nothing we can use though. Unless we want to start an argument about whether or not Asgard had trade ties with Jotunheim at some point. But on the bright side the people all like me! We even had dinner with all the noble families. It was to celebrate Lord Egil's successful hunt."

Zaaroc raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Oh! I bet Sif made an idiot of herself…."

Thor looked at Zaaroc disbelieving, "Really?!!! Is it that obvious that she can't behave herself?!!!"

Loki stroked Thor's arm to soothe him, "Easy, darling. Don't burn your blood unnecessarily. And yes it is that obvious. Sif has never been able to hold her tongue. It has gotten progressively worse over the years. Even mother used to avoid inviting her whenever she could….."

Thor shook his head and sighed, "I suppose I am slow in seeing things as always. At least Heimdall hasn't barged in a council meeting claiming Loki is evil. Yet. I'm expecting him to come with his 'doubts' one of these days. Loki has spells that prevent Heimdall from seeing in our rooms."

Zaaroc tapped his chin, "And yet it has been three weeks and Heimdall is yet to do something. I think you should increase your guards Thor. If Heimdall has been silent for this long it's only for one reason…. he has decided to take matters in his own hands. You can count on your former possé to be in on it too. Have some guards around Loki dressed as commoners. As the humans say: Prevention is better than cure"

Loki crossed his arms, "Don't talk about me like I'm not here! I can take care of myself. I don't need extra guards"

Thor appeared to be thinking, "But Zaaroc does have a point….I don't want to take any chances Loki…."

Loki scrunched his nose, "I can take care of myself" He repeated. He wasn't a weakling. He could take care of himself!

Zaaroc interjected before Thor and Loki got angry at each other for no reason, "We know that Loki. It's just…...we worry. We've already lost you once…..we don't…..we can't…."

Thor looked at Loki with so much pain in his eyes, Loki was taken aback, "I lost you once already Loki. I….we can't do it again……..we...I…. please…..I don't want to take any chances…. never again…."

Loki deflated. Zaaroc and Thor looked afraid. Like he was going to disappear right now. "Fine. I guess a few more guards won't hurt. I will tighten my protection charms too. It can't hurt to be a little cautious…."

Zaaroc and Thor sighed in relief. Zaaroc clapped his hands, "Well I better be going then! I have to figure out how to oust the parasite in SHIELD without alerting it….them….whoever they are….I may or may not have implied to Steve Rogers that I had two brothers and that one of them is dead. I don't think you both want to tell any of the Avengers about….well everything…."

Loki nodded, "You're right we don't. I don't think they will understand. Not yet. Maybe in the distant future…."

Thor nodded too, "Yes for now all the Avengers need to know is that Loki is dead and I am King. For them Loki will maintain the form of Ilvana, my fianceé. The minute you feel Fury or Steve are doubting you too much call for me. I will back everything you say."

Zaaroc nodded, "I have to tell them who I really am at some point. I have managed to find all the information SHIELD has on Loki. It is altered so it is nowhere near the truth anymore. I have done the same for all the information they had on you Thor. I will weave a subtle memory spell so that whoever has previously read the information will find it difficult to recall it. See you later…"

The dreamscape faded and Zaaroc opened his eyes and found he was back in his apartment in Midgard.

Zaaroc picked up his phone. He hovered his finger over Steve's name. From the conversation they had today in the museum Zaaroc was sure that Steve Rogers missed the good old days. He didn't blame him. It was hard to adjust to the idea that everyone he knew was gone. It was a peculiar situation for a human. Zaaroc was worried that Steve might not be as well adjusted as he appeared. He put his phone down. Not right now. Zaaroc could contact Steve later. 

He opened his SHIELD issued laptop. Zaaroc did not have access to much but really all he needed was one point of connection in SHIELD's mainframe and from there his sedir took over. The mainframe was like a huge brain and navigating it was like navigating a person's mindscape. Zaaroc logged in and then closed his eyes letting his mind drift looking for all of SHIELD's secrets.

**Director Fury's Office, SHIELD HQ, Washington DC**

Fury looked out his window. He had questions. He couldn't understand Jonathan Lynch. The guy was up to something. The 'what' elludded Fury. Natasha reported that he had handled himself exceptionally well on his first mission. SHEILD did not deal in the run of the mill threats that the other covert organizations did. Those pirates had been highly trained. But Natasha reported Jonathan handled them with ease. Without breaking a sweat. Then there was his medical report. According to Dr. Fine, Jonathan had no injuries. According to Natasha he should have a concussion and bruised ribs at the very least.

Fury had watched Jonathan's sparring session with Natasha. It was on video. He had replayed it multiple times. Jonathan was holding back. It wasn't noticeable the first time. But after watching the video ten times, Fury saw it. The guy was holding back. Not hitting as hard as he could. And still he had almost broken Natasha's jaw. It made Fury wonder…..but at the moment he had other bigger problems.

"Secure office", Fury commanded. The windows of the office darkened. He pulled out the flash drive Natasha had given him and put it in the port again. 

"Open Lemurian Star's satellite launch file." Fury had to be sure. Maybe there had been some mistake the first time.

"Access Denied", the computer responded.

Fury walked around his desk, "Run decryption."

The computer processed for some time before responding, "Decryption Failed"

Fury stood in front of the computer screen, "Director override. Fury, Nicholas J."

"Override Denied. All files sealed", the computer responded

Fury closed his eye, "On whose authority?"

"Fury, Nicholas J", the computer replied.

Fury huffed. Just as he suspected. Fury went to his private elevator. "World Security Council" The elevator doors closed and the elevator went up. Fury had questions and it was time to get some answers

TBC…..


	7. The Royal Palace (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thor's friends are colossal idiots and Thor and Loki tumble on a clue literally

**Thor's Private Study, Royal Palace of Asgard**

Thor looked at the guards in front of him. He had added three more guards that would follow Loki whenever he went outside the palace. Thor didn't think Heimdall was so foolish to attempt something while Loki was still in the palace. "I hope you have understood what you are to do."

The guards nodded. One of them Armod spoke up, "Yes Your Grace. We will follow Lady Ilvana at all times. No harm will come to her."

"Good. Lady Ilvana is at the Academy right now. Keep an eye on her. You are dismissed", Thor commanded. The guards left. Thor sat back down at his desk. His eyes fell on the scroll Uncle Ve had given to him. 

Thor hadn't been able to look at it yet. Thor cleared his desk and carefully unrolled the scroll. It was a blueprint of the palace. But some rooms were in the wrong place. Or…..or maybe this was an older blueprint. Thor studied it carefully. Odin must have changed the layout of the palace. Thor pulled a notebook and noted the changes. There were two rooms that were no longer there. Some underground tunnels that Thor had no idea existed. He needed to look at this. Maybe the rooms had simply been covered up. Thor did not have any meetings in the morning. He could go look at this now. Thor removed his cape and some bits of his armor. As he left he commanded the guards to not tell anyone where he was.

**The Sedir Academy, Central Market, Asgard**

"Very good Mara. You are doing well. Now try to shape the ball into something else. Just close your eyes and think what you want it to look like and try to guide the ball to change its shape." Ilvana instructed her young student.

Mara, a young girl of thirteen years, closed her eyes and concentrated hard. The ball of light in her hands wavered, then changed till it vaguely resembled a butterfly. Mara's concentration broke and the ball disappeared. The little girl looked sad. 

Ilvana kneeled before her, putting her hands on Mara's shoulders. "It's alright dear. You are doing very well. You just need more practice. You will be able to do it with ease in no time. Come now. I think that's enough for today. We shall continue tomorrow. Yes?"

Mara nodded, hugging Ilvana, "Thank you Lady Ilvana." 

Ilvana hugged her back, kissing her cheek, "You are welcome, dear."

Mara left waving at Lady Ravenna. Ilvana stood up and rolled her wrists. Lady Ravenna came up to her, "I believe you should leave as well My Lady. You have taken five classes today. You must be tired. Most of the students have left. I can close up here. It's lunch time anyways."

Ilvana nodded, "Thank you Lady Ravenna. I am tired and I did promise His Grace I would have lunch with him. I suppose I will leave. See you tomorrow?"

Lady Ravenna smiled, "Yes of course My Lady."

Ilvana put on her cloak and turned up her hood. She was quite popular now and if the people on the street recognized her they often tended to flock to her. She was too tired to deal with them today. As she left she noticed she had three followers. Thor had assigned guards to her then.

Ilvana weaved through the crowd. As she passed by an alley, she was suddenly pulled by someone. Someone put a blindfold over her eyes and put a hand over her mouth cutting off her air supply. Ilvana struggled. She was about to use her sedir when she felt manacles snap close on her wrists. As soon as they did her sedir was sapped. No. These were designed to block sedir. No. Not again. Ilvana panicked. She could still feel her bond to Thor. She sent as much panic as she could over it to alert Thor. She was finding it harder to breathe. 

Ilvana heard footsteps in the alley and someone demanding to let her go but there were spots in front of her eyes. She lost consciousness….

**Somewhere in the West Wing, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Thor read the blueprint and looked around trying to figure out where the two rooms he could see in the blueprint were supposed to be. He had dismissed the guards from this wing. He felt around some walls trying to see if he could find a false wall or something. He heard footsteps behind him. Thor turned around. It was Fandral. He looked anxious.

“Thor!”, Fandral was panting, having run all the way here. “Thor! Come quick! Lady Ilvana…..they’re going to…..in the market…..you have to….”

Thor looked at Fandral confused, “Calm down Fandral. I am not able to understand you. What is it? What about Lady Ilvana?”

Fandral pulled Thor’s arm, “Sif, Volstagg and Heimdall! They’re going to kidnap Lady Ilvana. They think she has put some spell on you. I tried to change their mind but they won’t listen! Thor….they…..they’re going to kill her! Come on. We have to go now!”

Thor was already running. “GUARDS! GUARDS!” He reached the end of the hallway. Some guards came running towards him. “Go to the market now! Lady Ilvana is in danger! Quickly!”

Thor almost dropped to his knees as he felt waves of panic over the bond. No! The guards looked unsure as Thor appeared in pain, “Don’t just stand there! I’m fine! Go find Ilvana!”

The guards nodded rushing. Thor closed his eyes taking deep breaths to calm himself. He himself rushed to the stables. The guards had already mounted their horses and were leaving. Holger brought Thor’s horse. Thor mounted his horse. Fandral came running behind him. Thor looked at Fandral, “You stay here. I’ll deal with you later…..”

Thor galloped towards the market. In the plaza there was a commotion. Thor recognized Armod. He had his sword drawn and was pointing it at Volstagg who had an unconscious Ilvana in his arms. One of the other guards had disarmed Sif and was holding her firmly. The other guards from the palace surrounded the group. The people looked confused about what was happening. 

Thor got down from his horse, “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!!!!”

Armod bowed when he saw Thor, “Your Grace. Volstagg and Sif were attempting to kidnap Lady Ilvana. When I caught them, they tried to send me off saying it was a royal matter and they were doing so for the good of His Grace.”

There were gasps and the people were looking at Volstagg and Sif angrily. They all liked Ilvana. Volstagg and Sif’s behaviour was appalling.

Thor raised one eyebrow. He stepped up to Volstagg, taking Ilvana from him, removing the shackles on her wrists, “For my good is it?" 

Sif was the one who spoke up, "She's put a spell on you Thor! She's controlling you! We are trying to help!"

Thor paid no attention to Sif's ramblings. He picked Ilvana up and turned to Armod, "You did well Armod. Call for Lady Eir. Take the prisoners to the dungeon. They are to remain there till their trial. Send a few guards and ask Heimdall to come to the palace immediately"

Volstagg gasped, "Thor! Please! We were not…"

Thor glared at Volstagg making him trail off, "You forget your place! It is  **Your Grace** . No more arguments. Guards! Remove them from my sight!"

Half of the guards bound Sif and Volstagg in chains and dragged them behind their horses to the palace. The people all glared at them, clearly angry at them. The rest of the guards cleared a path. Thor took Ilvana to the Academy.

Lady Ravenna was just leaving, "Your Grace! Lady Ilvana! Oh Norns! What happened?!"

Lady Ravenna quickly joined two tables and Thor set Ilvana on them, brushing her hair away from her face. "Some people tried to kidnap her. She's unconscious. I have sent for Lady Eir. But till she comes can you do a preliminary check and see if Ilvana is alright?"

Lady Ravenna nodded, stepping up to Ilvana, "Yes of course Your Grace." She put her hands over Ilvana's stomach, not touching her. Light glowed from Lady Ravenna's hands and washed over Ilvana's body.

After a few moments, Lady Ravenna looked up, "Lady Ilvana is alright, Your Grace. Simply unconscious. Someone seems to have tried to crush her windpipe. They were likely attempting to stop her from calling for help."

Thor nodded. There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Thor called out. 

The door opened. It was Lady Eir. She quickly came up to Thor, "Your Grace, Lady Ravenna. I heard what happened. Let me look over Lady Ilvana" Lady Eir examined Ilvana and gave the same assessment as Lady Ravenna. Thor got a glass of water for Ilvana for when she woke up

After sometime. Ilvana groaned. Thor was immediately at her side, leaning over her. "Ilvana! Ilvana!"

Ilvana rubbed her eyes, "Thor? Wh-what happened?" Ilvana clutched her throat. It was aching and sore. Her jaw hurt too.

Lady Eir helped Ilvana sit up and Thor gave her the glass of water. Ilvana sipped it slowly, wincing as it hurt to swallow. Lady Ravenna looked at her concerned, "Your throat must be sore. You shouldn't use it too much My Lady."

Lady Eir nodded, "Yes. I shall give you a draught to help numb the pain. But you should not eat anything solid for at least a day." 

Ilvana nodded, not speaking because that hurt too. Thor looked at her concerned, "Are you well enough to go back to the palace? Or…"

Ilvana shook her head. "P-palace. I want to go back", she whispered. Thor nodded. The guards had fetched a horse for Ilvana. There was a crowd around the Academy. The people were muttering among themselves. They fell silent as Thor stepped out with Ilvana. Most people smiled at her. Some looked slightly wary. Thor paid no attention to them. He and Ilvana mounted their horses and went back to the palace.

At the palace, Thor called for an emergency council meeting. The council members all came looking confused. They seemed surprised to see Ilvana with Thor in the council room.

Lord Sten spoke up, "Your Grace? Lady Ilvana? Has something happened? I saw the guards rushing out"

Thor sighed, "Volstagg and Lady Sif attempted to kidnap Lady Ilvana as she was returning from the Academy. It was fortunate that I have assigned guards to her. Fandral came to me and said even Heimdall was in on the plot"

The council members gasped in shock. "Heimdall knew of the plot and did not report it?!! How dare he!!!", exclaimed Lord Njal.

"This is unacceptable!!! It is Heimdall's duty to report such things!", Lord Ve looked angry.

Lady Sigrid looked at Ilvana, "Are you alright My Lady?" Ilvana nodded. Thor spoke for her, "Lady Eir says Volstagg almost crushed her windpipe. She cannot speak at the moment…"

Lord Vili shook his head, "This is too much! If our own people attack Lady Ilvana in broad daylight then what can we expect from our enemies? Where are Sif and Volstagg now?"

"In the dungeons" Thor replied, "I ordered the guards to keep them there till the trial. I have sent guards to fetch Heimdall. Fandral is still in the palace. He reported the crime. But I'm not sure how involved he was. There is something else that bothers me. Volstagg had chains that could bind a mage. I thought those have been locked up in the armory since Loki was first brought here.."

General Tyr nodded, "Yes Your Grace. The chains have been in the armory since Prince Loki was brought to Asgard. But Volstagg and Fandral have access to the armory. They could have stolen it. If they had Heimdall's support then it would have been easy to pick a time when there was no one in the armory"

Lord Ve clenched his fist, "This is a serious concern. Heimdall let people steal important weapons from the King's armory. This is more than just a crime. It's treason!"

The other council members nodded in agreement. There was a knock on the door. "Come in", Thor commanded.

It was Armod. He bowed, "Your Grace. I have brought Heimdall. He is outside. Shall I bring him in?"

Thor sat up straighter, "Yes Armod. Bring Heimdall in and also bring Fandral. He should still be somewhere near the stables." 

Armod nodded and bowed once more before leaving and allowing Heimdall to enter. Heimdall came in with his head held high, carrying Hofund in his hand. It was a gross disrespect to the King to walk in with a drawn weapon. 

Thor narrowed his eyes, "Heimdall. You have been summoned to answer a few questions. I suppose you are aware of what transpired today at the market?”

Heimdall looked at Ilvana, then back to Thor, “Yes I am aware. I do not understand what it has to do with me.”

Lord Ve scoffed, “Stop pretending Heimdall. You should have seen that coming and you know it. There is also the matter of how Volstagg and Sif got their hands on the special chains. There is no way for them to have sneaked in the palace unless they had help.”

Heimdall’s expression did not change, “I only did what was necessary for the good of Asgard. You have all been blinded by this….this witch!’

Thor banged his fist on the table, “Have care how you speak! I will not tolerate any disrespect towards Lady Ilvana! She has done nothing to deserve it!”

Heimdall stepped forward, “She has bewitched you Thor! And now she is bewitching the whole of Asgard. I am not able to track her at times. She is hiding something. I am sure of it!”

Lord Njal leaned forward, “On what basis do you claim Lady Ilvana has ‘bewitched’ His Grace? In what context are you not able to track her? Why do you assume you have freedom to track Lady Ilvana? She has a right to some privacy”

Heimdall refused to back down, “It is my duty to perceive any threat to Asgard and to the Royal Family. I have always been allowed to track individuals who are suspicious. This is no different. I cannot see her when she is with Thor in his rooms…..”

Lord Vili interrupted Heimdall, “Surely you do not think you have permission to see in His Grace’s private chambers, Heimdall. They are called private chambers for a reason.”

Lord Sten nodded, “I agree. What His Grace and Lady Ilvana and any other citizen of Asgard does in the privacy of their bedroom is their personal business. You do not have the right to demand to be able to see into people’s bedrooms Heimdall.”

Thor shook his head, “So the only reason you decided to kidnap and if Fandral is to be believed, kill Lady Ilvana is because you could not peep in her bedroom? Is this a joke Heimdall? Is there any proof to your claim at all?”

Heimdall clenched his jaw, “Why have we never heard of Lady Ilvana before now? She suddenly appeared from thin air. I have never heard you speak of her before. You claim to have exchanged letters with her before. But I have never seen you do so. How can I believe nothing foul is afoot?”

The council members all looked angry. “This is prespostors!”, Lord Ve exclaimed, “Now you demand the King explain his personal relations to you! We have communicated with Queen Freya. Lady Ilvana was her lady-in-waiting. And even if she had been a commoner. It is no business of yours how King Thor came to be in a relationship with her. The King does not owe you an explanation Heimdall.”

Thor sighed, “If you were suspicious of Lady Ilvana, why not approach me? If you believed I had been compromised why not approach the council? You guided Volstagg and Fandral to the armory. You helped them steal from the King. The King that you are sworn to serve.”

Heimdall turned his nose up, “I am serving the King. Your father still lives. You are not King yet Prince Thor”

Now the council looked truly enraged. General Tyr was fuming, “How dare you! The throne is Prince Thor’s birthright! He is the heir! King Odin is incapcitated. King Thor rightfully sits on the throne! How dare you deny his claim!”

Thor looked at Ilvana out of the corner of his eyes. She was clenching her hands, clearly tense. Thor could feel the worry pour over the bond. Heimdall smirked slightly, “As long as King Odin lives Prince Thor cannot ascend to the throne ‘rightfully’. Let him awaken! You are all a brood of snakes! This council betrays King Odin by not investigating his sudden fall in Odinsleep. You are all traitors! I know you had a hand in it!”

Before things could devolve further. Fandral stepped in the room. He looked at the angry council members and at Thor who was a hair’s breadth from choking the life out of Heimdall and swallowed.

“Uh….a guard said I was summoned……”, Fandral looked like he wanted to leave.

Thor motioned him in without looking away from Heimdall. “Yes. I summoned you. Come here. Listen to the delusions your friend is rambling on about.”

Fandral tentatively stood beside Heimdall. Lady Sigrid was the one who questioned him, “Fandral you reported that Heimdall, Volstagg and Sif plotted to kidnap and kill Lady Ilvana? Do you have any proof of this claim?”

Fandral ignored the glare Heimdall had directed at him and pulled out a memory stone. “I have transferred my memories of them plotting on the stone. I…..I pretended to go along with the plan. I intended to report them as soon as I had a chance. Yesterday while the training drills were going on Heimdall guided us and I and Volstagg took the chains from the armory. The plan was to wait for the right moment and then kidnap Lady Ilvana and force her to remove the ‘spell’ she put on King Thor.

But today morning Heimdall said he saw guards following Lady Ilvana and they all decided to execute their plot today itself. I rushed to the palace and alerted King Thor as soon as I could. I…..Heimdall and Sif in particular were convinced Lady Ilvana has done some magic on King Thor. They were going to kill Lady Ilvana if she did not comply with their demands…”

General Tyr took the memory stone from Fandral and played the memories on it. They supported everything Fandral said. Thor shook his head, disappointed. “This is unacceptable. Are you even aware of the consequence of killing Lady Ilvana? She is a noble of Vanaheim. Her father serves on the Council of Queen Freya. Vanaheim would have revolted. And I would…… Lady Ilvana is my guest. The Royal Family is responsible for her wellbeing during her stay here. Any action against her tarnishes the name of the Royal Family. By attempting to kill her you commit treason against the Royal Family.

Many times you have been forgiven Heimdall, but not this time. You committed treason against Loki when he was King and now you commit treason against me. Once can be overlooked but twice. No. Enough is enough. You are hereby stripped of all titles and authority. No longer will you stand at the Bifrost. You will remain in the dungeons till the trial. Fandral because you reported the crime, you are spared. However you are not permitted to leave Asgard. You will be called on the trial to testify. That is my decision.”

The council members all looked at each other. Their decision was already made. Lord Ve spoke up, "The council does not contest the King's decision."

Thor nodded, "Guards!" Heimdall who had been glaring constantly at Ilvana suddenly stepped forward, his sword held aloft, intending to kill Ilvana. The council members all got up, shouting for the guards. Fandral tried to stop Heimdall, managing to push him slightly off course. Thor came in front of Ilvana and the sword struck him on his left shoulder. Thor and Ilvana both gasped in pain. The guards came in surrounding Heimdall. 

General Tyr drew his own sword and struck Heimdall's hand. Hofund clattered to the ground. "ENOUGH!!! REMOVE THIS MAN FROM THE KING'S PRESENCE AND THROW HIM IN THE DUNGEONS!!!" The guards dragged Heimdall away.

Lord Ve looked at Thor and Ilvana, "Thor! Are you…" He looked at Ilvana in surprise as blood started to seep from her shoulder as well. Thor's left palm was glowing slightly. Ve could see the symbol of infinity in green color on it. He gasped understanding what was going on immediately. Thor closed his palm and shook his head. Ve bowed his head and nodded. The other council members also came up to them.

"Your Grace! Lady Ilvana!" Lady Sigrid exclaimed, "Are you alright? Call for Lady Eir!"

Thor shook his head, "It's just a minor wound. I will go see Lady Eir myself. The sword grazed Ilvana too. Are we done here?”

The council members nodded. Thor stood up and walked out the door, Ilvana in tow, leaving the council members a bit stunned. In the hallway, Ilvana looked like she wanted to say something. But then she shook her head. Thor and Ilvana went to Lady Eir who was supremely angry when she heard all that had happened. 

The wound Thor and Ilvana had incurred was already healing. Lady Eir patched them both up, giving Ilvana a draught for her throat and sent them on their way. Once in their private rooms, Thor sat down heavily on his chair by the fireplace. Loki sat opposite to him mirroring his posture.

“That was exhausting.”, Loki looked tired and through the bond Thor could feel how upset she was.

Thor shook his head in dismay, “I can’t believe Heimdall would go so far. I mean….Sif and Volstagg attempting such foolishness is one thing but…...Heimdall? I expected more from him.”

Loki rubbed her thumb over her palm, “It’s not…..it’s not that unexpected…...I mean if you think about it…..Heimdall has always been quick to…...disobey the King. He let us go to Jotunheim despite Odin’s orders. He let Sif and the others go to Midgard even when I ordered him not to. I asked him too, you know. I asked him if he was willing to support me….but he just…...I feel Heimdall only serves himself. I don’t understand him…….”

Thor rubbed a hand over his face, “I don’t understand him either. He definitely still remembers Hela. His suspicions are not completely wrong….but we can’t allow anyone to thwart us now. I found something earlier….before….everything. The scroll Uncle Ve gave is a blueprint of the palace from Bor’s time. It shows some tunnels and rooms which are not there in the current blueprint in the West Wing. I was trying to figure it out when Fandral came to me.”

Loki perked up, “Really? Interesting. I wonder if Uncle Ve gave it to you on purpose…..we should go look at it now. Let’s not waste any more time.”

Loki stood up and turned to leave. Thor caught her hand, “Loki…..are you sure you are alright? Today was…..we can do this some other time…..”

Loki rubbed Thor’s wrist. “I am fine Thor. Truly. We need to do this now. We need information. Come on.”

Thor and Loki left their chambers and went to the West Wing of the palace. Thor pulled out the scroll from the folds of his robe. It was slightly torn from where Hofund had struck Thor, but it was still in one piece. Thor opened it and Loki peered at it. She looked at the blueprint and then at the walls around them.

“These walls are not there in the blueprint. Odin must have covered up the old rooms.”, Loki ran a hand over the walls trying to see if there was some clue.

Thor nodded, “Yes. I wonder if the rooms are covered with false walls or if Odin remodelled them completely…..”

Thor started looking at the pillars near the walls. Loki frowned at a wall. Something was off about it. Loki squinted at the edge where the wall met another wall. She pulled a dagger from thin air and scrapped the edge. It was wood. The wall was made of wood. Solid and thick dark wood. But still it was not stone like the rest of the walls. It had been painted cleverly so it was not noticeable till someone looked at it. 

“Thor! Here! Look at this!”, Loki pushed the dagger in as much as she could. The wood was too thick. Loki might need an axe to cut through it.

Thor stood beside Loki. “This wall. It’s made of wood. It’s not stone. We need to break through it.”

Thor peered at the wall. “Yes….you’re right. We need an axe. I don’t think a dagger will do anything. It’s too thick.”

“Shall we have some builders brought in to break through this? We can’t be sure what’s behind it.”, Loki wondered if they could have the builders pledge to not say anything. Probably not. That would be suspicious. Then the idea sparked in Loki’s mind. “Oh!!”

Thor frowned, “What? What is it?”

“Call on Mjolnir. I know how to break through this. We don’t need to call builders for it. Just give me a moment….I….”, Loki put a hand on the wall and closed her eyes.

Thor held a hand out and called for Mjolnir. In a few moments it was in his hands. Loki concentrated calling on the core of ice that resided within her. Ice began to spread from her palm till it covered the whole wall. The temperature in the hallway dropped. 

Loki turned to Thor, “Hit as hard as you can. One good swing should do it.”

Thor nodded. He swung Mjolnir. Calling on his power and hitting the now ice wall as hard as he could. The ice cracked and shattered taking the wooden wall with it. Now there was hole big enough for one person to go through.

Thor grinned at Loki, “That was amazing. I didn’t know you could do that.”

Loki shrugged. “I have been exchanging letters with Farbauti. She suggested some things. Ways to use my power over ice. I wasn’t entirely sure it would work. But...well there was no harm in trying. What is it?”

Thor looked through the hole. It was a room. It was covered in dust. It looked like it had belonged to someone. “It looks like someone’s bedroom. Come on. Let’s have a look.”

Thor stepped through the hole, Loki on his heels. The room led to another room with a bed. These were definitely someone’s private chambers. Thor went over to the now dusty fireplace. Loki looked at some shelves with books. They both moved to the bedroom. The sheets must have been green at some point. Now they were a greyish green that was ugly. There was a desk with paper and ink that had gone dry long ago. There was a chest in one corner.

Loki kneeled before the chest. It was locked but there were no spells on it. Loki used her sedir to break the lock and opened the chest. It had dresses. Mostly in some shade of green. There was a fur trimmed cloak with hood. The fur did not look like it came from any animal on Asgard. Loki looked through the clothes to see if there was something among them.

Her hand touched the bottom. Loki frowned. She had expected the chest to be deeper. She pulled her hand out and looked at it again. Yes. Based on the height from outside it should have been deeper. That only meant one thing. A hidden compartment. Loki pulled all the clothes out. Thor came over to her curious and peered in the chest. The bottom had no giveaway. Loki knocked it with her fist.

Thor tilted his head, “That sounds hollow. Can you find some kind of catch or anything else?”

Loki shook her head. She closed her eyes and again checked for spells. This time something sparked. “There’s a spell. But I can’t identify it. I don’t understand….”

Thor kneeled beside Loki. He tapped his chin in thought. “When I went to your room a few months back there was a spell on the lock that allowed me to open it only after it had absorbed some of my blood. Maybe this is similar?”

Loki looked at Thor, “But whose blood does it need? We don’t even know whose room this is. There are no pictures here. If there are, I don’t see them.”

Thor bit his lip. “I don’t know…...I just….I get the feeling it’s the same spell…..I can’t…..I can’t explain it…..”

Loki pulled her dagger again and held it out for Thor, “Go on then. I have never seen magic like this. It feels old and powerful. But also detached in a way. Like the one who cast it is no longer tethered to it. Which is odd because a mage is always tethered to the spell they cast.”

Thor poked the tip of the dagger in his thumb and made a small cut, letting a few drops of blood drip on it bottom of the chest. The whole bottom lit up, symbols appearing on it. The bottom disappeared and a compartment opened up. There was a bejweled dagger inside it. Thor picked it up. As soon as he did the compartment disappeared and the chest became normal.

Loki looked fascinated, “That was not a hidden compartment. It was a pocket dimension. The bottom panel of the chest was a door. How interesting! I have never seen a spell like this. Show it to me”

Thor handed the dagger to Loki. He got up and went back to examining the walls of the room. As he was running his hand over a wall his thumb caught on an edge and the cut reopened. As soon as his blood touched the wall it glowed opening into a dark hallway.

Loki came and stood beside him peering in the dark hallway. She stepped forward and into it. "Loki! Wait!" Thor followed her. As soon as Thor was fully in the hallway the door….wall behind them closed. 

Loki turned back. "What?!! What happened?!!! Where's the door?!!!"

Thor had a bad feeling about this. He caught Loki's hand and pulled her towards him just as the floor beneath them gave way and they fell through…..

TBC...

  
  
  



	8. The Monster Within (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Fury tries to buy time and Zaaroc manipulates people left, right and center

** Secretary Pierce's Office, SHIELD HQ, Washington DC **

"If Nick Fury thinks he can get his costumed thugs and STRIKE commandos to mop up his mess, he's sadly mistaken. This failure is unacceptable " , Councilman Rockwell was angry.

"Considering this attack took place a mile from my country's sovereign waters…. it's a bit more than that. I move for an immediate hearing." Councilman Singh said.

"We don't need hearings. We need action", Councilwoman Hawley interjected. "It is this council's duty to oversee SHIELD"

"An attack like this raises questions", Councilman Yen added.

"Like how the hell did a French pirate manage to hijack a SHIELD vessel in broad daylight", Councilman Rockwell said.

"For the record Councilman, he's Algerian", Secretary Pierce spoke for the first time. "I can draw a map if it would help"

Councilman Rockwell did not look impressed, "While I appreciate your wit Secretary Pierce, this council takes international piracy seriously"

"Really?", Secretary Pierce raised an eyebrow, "I don't. I don't care about one boat. I care about the whole fleet. If this council is going to fall to rancour everytime someone pushes us on the playing field, maybe we need someone to oversee us."

"If something is…", Councilman Rockwell began, but stopped when Secretary Pierce's assistant came and asked him something.

"Excuse me", Secretary Pierce turned to leave.

"More trouble Mr. Secretary?", Councilman Rockwell asked.

Secretary Pierce looked over his shoulder, "Depends on your definition".

The holograms of the council members disappeared as Secretary Pierce left the room. 

Nick Fury was waiting for him in his office. "I work 40 floors away. It takes a hijacking for you to visit?", Pierce remarked

"Nuclear war would do it too." Fury shook Pierce's hand. "You busy in there?"

Pierce shook his head, "Nothing some earmarks can't fix."

Fury nodded, "I'm…..here to ask for a favor. I want you to call for a vote. Project Insight has to be delayed."

"Nick, that's not a vote. It's a sub-committee meeting. A long one", Pierce pointed out.

Fury looked away, "Look it could be nothing. It probably is nothing. I just need time to make sure it's nothing."

"And if it is something?" Pierce asked

"Then we'll both be damn glad those hellicarriers aren't in the air." , Fury replied.

"Fine", Pierce said, "But you've got to get Iron Man to stop by my niece's birthday party."

Fury nodded, "Thank you, Sir"

Pierce shook his hand, "And not just a flyby. He's got to mingle." 

Fury left. Pierce sat at his desk. He picked up his phone, "Send Rumlow to my office"

Pierce turned on his computer and opened the file for Project Insight. Rumlow came in his office. Pierce looked up, "Rumlow. You haven't submitted your report for the Lemurian Star rescue mission yet. I want it. What's the delay?"

Rumlow put a file on Pierce's desk. "Apologies Sir. I was verifying a few things. This is the report."

Pierce read the report. Everything had gone as expected. At least Sitwell had succeeded in sending the info needed. Pierce frowned as he came across an unfamiliar name. "Who's this Jonathan Lynch? Why was he on this mission?"

Rumlow shrugged, "He's new. Came with the new batch a few days back. Fury's got him mentoring under Steve Rogers. Don't know why. I tried to dig info on the guy. He's pretty standard. Worked with FBI before this. Got a clean record. Nothing stood out. Not sure what's so special Fury assigned him to Captain America. He's good though. Jonathan did well on the mission."

Pierce nodded. "And where is he now? Has he been assigned to some other mission?"

Rumlow shook his head, "No he's at his desk, typing his own report."

"Fetch him. I want to talk to him. If Fury assigned him to Steve, there must be a reason for it. I want to assess him myself", Pierce closed the file.

Rumlow left to go fetch Jonathan. Pierce pulled up Jonathan's record on his computer and fed his information to Project Insight. Better to keep an eye on everyone. He needed to contact Senator Stern and report the progress they had made here at SHIELD. He also needed to get in touch with the Asset. Fury was getting out of hand. Pierce had to take action now.

The door of his office opened. It was Jonathan. "Ah. Jonathan. Come in. Sit." Pierce pointed to a chair.

Jonathan sat down. His expression was neutral. Not giving anything away. Pierce folded his hands on the table. "I see your first mission went well Jonathan. You were at the FBI before this right? It's good to have you here at SHIELD."

Jonathan's expression did not change, "Thank you, Sir. It is good to be here."

Pierce pursed his lips. "How do you like things here? We do things a little differently from the FBI. I hope it's not an issue…."

Jonathan shrugged, "If it was an issue I would have refused the offer." He leaned in. "I understand SHIELD'S approach. I mean….personally…... I believe the common people don't really care who sits on the throne as long as they have food on the table, roof on their head and peace in their home. I think SHIELD'S proactive approach is the new way for the future. It's the right time to eliminate the threats before they cause damage"

Pierce liked this guy. "I agree. I absolutely agree. I think you're in the right place Jonathan. I think we will have a long and fruitful relationship. I'll be seeing you around."

Jonathan smirked. "Yes Mr. Secretary. I believe we will have a long and mutually fruitful relationship"

Jonathan left. Pierce added Jonathan's name to the list he kept for potential recruits for his pet project. It had been sometime since he added someone to the team. A guy with Jonathan's thinking was a perfect fit. 

Underneath Pierce's desk a small sigil in the shape of a shield with an eagle on it glowed slightly. Jonathan smiled at Pierce's assistant as he entered the elevator. He agreed with Pierce. His relationship with SHIELD was going to be fruitful. It just wasn't going to be very long. One target down. Now to find the good Captain and sow doubt. 

  
  


** VA Center, Washington DC **

"The thing is I think it's getting worse." A woman's voice could be heard as Steve walked down the hallway towards the room where Sam was taking his session. 

"A cop pulled me over last week." The woman continued. "He thought I was drunk. I swerved to avoid a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED…"

Sam was standing at a podium. He spoke over a mike, "Some stuff you leave there. Other you bring back. It's our job to decide how to carry it. Is it going to be a big suitcase or a little man-purse? It's up to you."

The session went on for some time. Steve leaned against the door and listened. After the session Sam shook everyone's hand and waved them goodbye. He walked over to Steve

"Look who it is the running man", Sam started arranging the pamphlets on a table.

Steve looked at him "I caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense."

Sam didn't look up as he spoke "We all got the same problems brother. Guilt, regret….."

"You lose someone?" Steve asked

"My wingman, Riley" Sam responded. "On a mission at night. It was standard PJ rescue. Nothing we hadn't done a 1000 times. Until an RPG knocked Riley out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch."

"I'm sorry" Steve empathized

Sam nodded, "After that, I had a really hard time finding the reason for being over there you know?"

Steve looked at the pamphlets. "But you're happy now? Back in the world?"

Sam looked around, "The number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So hell yeah. Are you thinking about getting out?"

"No", Steve looked unsure. "I don't know. Honestly I don't what I do with myself if I did"

"Ultimate fighting?" Sam suggested. "Just a great idea of the top of my head!"

"You could always become a motivational speaker. I feel like you'd be good at that." Someone spoke from beside Sam

Sam looked to his left surprised to see a guy in the hallway. He hadn't heard the guy approach. It was the same guy who had been in the car that day with the lady with red hair.

Steve stood straighter, "Jonathan. I...I didn't expect to see you here. How did you know I was here?"

Jonathan shrugged. "I remembered Sam wanted you to come to the VA to make him look cool in front of the girl at the front desk. Well you seem to have had enough of the museum. And you were not at the old home. So….. logically you could be here. I figured I'd at least check."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "How do you know I visit the old home?"

Jonathan stepped up to Steve, studying his face. "Isn't that where Peggy Carter is these days? You were emotional the other day at the museum. So you would go see the only person still alive from your time. That's Peggy Carter. Ergo the old home is one of the places you'd visit."

"Nice deduction, Sherlock", Sam commented

Jonathan turned to him "Thanks. But it's my job to be able to trace people. I would be a bad tracker if I couldn't find my own colleague. But honestly Cap you could do whatever you want. You just have to figure out what makes you happy"

Sam nodded, "He's right. Sometimes you have to let go and take a big step because that step leads to something that will make you happy."

"Of course morals and values have their own place. My uncle says sometimes doing the right thing does not make you happy. It pains you to do it. But you do it anyways because it upholds your morals." Jonathan looked lost in thought again

Steve wondered what bothered him so much. Sometimes he sounded like he'd been here for centuries. Steve shrugged, "I don't really know…..I guess I'll have to figure it out one of these days……"

Jonathan nodded, "Maybe you can figure it out while we head back to work? I wanted to show you a report and then I have to submit it to our boss. So…."

Steve rubbed his face, "Oh right. I forgot about that. Sorry. Yeah we can do that now." He turned to Sam apologetically. 

Sam held a hand up. "It's alright. You don't even have to explain. I get it. We can talk some other time. You know where to find me."

Steve smiled. "Thanks Sam. It was good seeing you. I really liked your session. See you some other time"

Jonathan also waved at Sam as they both left. Steve got in Jonathan's car. "So when did you finish the report?"

Jonathan didn't look at him as he drove, "Last night. I submitted it today before coming here. Director Fury was no longer in his office. I gave it to his assistant"

"You wanted to talk to me privately" Steve realized. 

Jonathan looked at him briefly before looking back at the road. "Yes. This is not going to be a very long conversation. I just want a few minutes of your time. I want you to hear me out before judging. Please"

Steve studied Jonathan's face. He gave nothing away as usual. Well it was not like Steve could go anywhere right now. "Fine. Speak. What is it?"

Jonathan bit his lip, "I think SHIELD is planning something big. I don't know what it is. But this mission…..it was…..what was SHIELD doing in international waters? Why are they sending information to random satellites? It's so odd. And then Jasper Sitwell being there? That makes no sense. It just doesn't make sense. Something is wrong……"

Steve sighed. Jonathan was too sharp. He was going to stumble on Project Insight at this rate. Fury wouldn't like that. Steve had to make Jonathan leave this alone. He was just starting his career. He shouldn't make an enemy of Fury.

"Well…..you know how it is….. SHIELD believes in eliminating threats before they become a threat…...I know it seems a little off. But Fury knows what he is doing" Steve tried to reassure.

They stopped at a signal. Jonathan looked at Steve. "I understand that SHIELD believes in eliminating threats proactively. But….. don't you think that in doing that they are ignoring the possibility that a 'threat' might not do what they think it's going to do. I mean…. I'm not….".

Jonathan looked frustrated. "My brother. The one who died. He made a lot of mistakes in his life and everybody just never let it go. They kept pushing. They never tried to reach out….and I just feel….this whole kill someone before they do something is…. it's….what if the person changes? I mean does SHIELD even consider the possibility that……I don't know. I just feel like there is no way to predict what a person is going to do in a situation. You may know someone for centuries. But they might still surprise you. It just feels less like protection and more like control...like taking away the right to make a different choice….." 

The signal turned green. Jonathan drove and Steve realized they were going in a circle. Jonathan stopped back in front of the VA. "I just wanted to share my opinion. I already submitted the report. We don't have any plans. I just wanted to tell someone and I thought……"

Steve put a hand on Jonathan's shoulder, "No…..you did the right thing coming to me Jonathan. I think you have a point. I always like to believe people can change. I mean….their experiences change them. And you are right. People have a right to choose. You know something? I don't completely agree with SHIELD's methods either. I'll talk to Fury. We can reach a middle ground I'm sure of it. Till then keep this between us ok?"

Jonathan looked a little unsure but then he nodded, "Alright. Yeah. I can wait. Thanks Cap"

Steve smiled letting go of Jonathan's shoulder and getting out of the car. "Anytime Jonathan. That's what I am here for. I'll see you tomorrow. We have a meeting."

Jonathan nodded, driving away. Steve furrowed his brow. Jonathan made a good point. What gave SHIELD the right to decide what a person would do? He had to talk to Fury. He didn't like how controlling Project Insight was. It was time to make some changes…

**Jonathan's Apartment, Washington DC**

Zaaroc sighed as he sat down on his couch. That was exhausting. But at least Steve was thinking now. Zaaroc pulled out a memory stone. This one had all the information he had gleaned from SHIELD'S servers. He had gone through most of it. Once he had realized there was a parasite in SHIELD the pattern became obvious. Zaaroc was able to identify which order was real and which one had been twisted.

Almost half of SHIELD was a part of the parasite. Zaaroc did not have a name yet. The person running the show was smart. But not smart enough. They had been very careful. Making it look like all the orders came from Fury. But they became overconfident. Zaaroc had tracked Batroc's roots. Fury was the one who sent him to hijack his own ship.

When Zaaroc found that out, he read everything from the data of the people onboard Lemurian Star to the damn food being served on it. Jasper Sitwell really had no business being there. The order to send him on the Lemurian Star definitely did not come from Fury. If it had, Fury wouldn't need to hijack the ship to extract information. He'd just question him. That meant someone else put Sitwell on the Lemurian Star. 

The question was who. Who would have so much access that even Fury didn't realize it? Someone with a higher rank than Fury. That meant it could be either someone from the Council or Secretary Pierce. That was something Zaaroc didn't know. So he had changed some things in his own resumé. When Rumlow wrote the report, he searched for all info on 'Jonathan' and found some missing details. Which as Zaaroc predicted made him suspicious. It delayed the report and brought it to Pierce's immediate attention. As expected Pierce got curious about Zaaroc and called him over. It allowed Zaaroc to have access to the office and he cast some magic to allow him to listen to the conversations in Pierce's office. Though from their little exchange today the scale was favoring Pierce. 

Zaaroc put the memory stone away. He'd show it to Loki and Thor. Maybe they could give him more insight. Zaaroc got a bowl and poured some water in it. He spoke a spell and its mirror in Pierce's office activated allowing Zaaroc to listen in.

_ "How long is it going to take to wake the Asset?" Pierce asked someone. _

_ "I need him now…….No right now!.......Just use the chair if he's being unco-operative!......Fine…….Alright…...You know what to do…...I will send support…...yes…...yes…..There should be no witnesses" _

Zaaroc let the spell dissipate. That was an odd conversation it sounded like…...like Pierce was putting a target on someone's back. But who would…..Zaaroc sat up straighter. Oh no! Fury. Pierce just put a target on Fury. Shit! Zaaroc got up, picked up his keys and hurried out the door. He had to find Fury!

TBC…..


	9. Stark Tower (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jane is the only single person in the entire world, JARVIS has no sense of privacy and Tony has an unusual encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't hate Pepper Potts but I feel that at times she's too judgmental and rude to Tony.....

**Dr. Foster's Floor, Stark Tower, New York**

Jane yawned as she went over to the coffee machine. She put her tablet on the dining table. She had been awake with Tony and Bruce till 4 a.m. she rubbed her eyes. Martha, her maid, would be here soon. Jane had insisted she did not need a whole staff to take care of her floor. To be honest she just used the bedroom and bathroom and kitchen. Even the TV was rarely used as Jane spent most of her time in the labs anyways.

Jane poured coffee just as the elevator dinged open. Martha stepped in. "Good Morning Dr. Foster"

Jane sipped her coffee. "Come on Martha! It's J-a-n-e Jane. It's not that hard. You can say it."

Martha smiled, pulling out a pan and some eggs and bread. "I prefer to be formal Dr. Foster. How do you want your eggs?"

Jane smiled, "Fine. I'll convince you one day. Just scrambled is fine. I think I'm going to stay in today. I was up late last night. Cut up some fruit too."

Martha nodded, cracking the eggs on the pan. Jane took her coffee and sat at the dining table. Martha served her, the eggs with bread and some apples. Then she left to do some dusting. Not that there was much dust. Jane kept her floor as neat as she could. She picked up her tablet and flipped through some news as she ate.

After she was done, she put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Jane took a shower and pulled on some jeans and a shirt. She decided to pull out the writing pad Zaaroc had given her. She had sent a few letters to Loki and Thor. Things were going well for them. Their letters were always a jumble of things Loki wanted to say and things he put in on Thor's behalf. Jane found it funny. She was one hundred percent sure Thor had tried to write a letter to Jane on his own but Loki had not let him. Probably complaining about Thor's handwriting or something

Jane wrote a letter to them describing the research she had been doing with Tony and Bruce. She complained about being a bit lonely and asked them if they had found any clues. Once the letter was sent via the magic box Zaaroc had given her, Jane decided to report she was not going to be working and head to the park. It was a sunny day. She could soak up some sun.

She informed JARVIS she was taking the day off and put on her jacket. She entered the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor but the elevator went up instead. Jane frowned. The elevator stopped on Tony's floor.

"No Tony I don't want to hear it!" That was Ms. Potts. Jane should so not be here. She pressed the button for the ground floor again but it didn't work.

"Damnit! JARVIS stop it! Come on let's go!" Jane whisper yelled at JARVIS.

"You promised you were going to quit! You said you were done!" Ms. Potts continued to yell.

"Oh come on Pepper. I said I'd be done with the excessive suit building. The research with Jane and Bruce is different. It's not related to Iron Man at all!" Tony complained.

Jane froze. She knew she should alert Tony and Ms. Potts of her presence. But at the same time she wanted to hear this conversation was about….before Jane could decide Ms Potts continued to yell.

"Your were gone practically the whole night again! I thought we agreed you need a better lifestyle. You need to sleep and eat at proper times. That was part of the deal" Ms. Potts sounded really angry 

"I know that Pepper…...but we were taking some readings and time just flew by…..come on I think you're overreacting. One day out of ten I can stay up. Everybody does that." Tony argued.

Jane hated being that person but she kind of agreed. Sometimes even people who had strict sleeping time stayed awake. It was no big deal.

"No. I don't care what everybody does. You are not supposed to do that. You need some discipline in your life Tony. Your therapist said it was necessary. And this….research…. it's not that important and don't think I don't know about your plans for the Iron Legion. You said you were done" Ms Potts repeated.

"Don't insult the research. Jane and Bruce are working very hard on it. If we succeed we might crack how 'magic' works. The Iron Legion is just a precaution Pepper. I told you Thor doesn't think New York was a one off. I'm being cautious. I don't see what's wrong with that." Tony was so done with this conversation.

"Oh so now you'd rather believe some alien rather than listen to me! I want what's best for you! This obsession has gone far enough! I can't deal with this anymore!" Ms. Potts fumed.

Jane could hear her footsteps approach the elevator. She frantically pressed the button for the ground floor but it didn't work. Jane tired to act casual as Ms. Potts froze when she saw her. "Sorry. I pressed the wrong button. Um….good morning?" 

Ms. Potts composed herself. "It's alright. I was leaving anyway. Good morning."

Ms Potts got into the elevator and pressed the button for the 22nd floor. Probably her office. Jane felt awkward. But she still wanted to say one thing. "You shouldn't speak of him like that you know."

Ms. Potts looked at her one eyebrow raised, "Of whom?"

Jane bit her lip, "Thor. Don't speak of Thor like that. He is an alien but that doesn't mean he's not a person. Don't speak of him like he's some thing."

Ms. Potts sighed. "Yeah….that was a little rude. It's just…. Tony is so frustrating! He still has nightmares and he's supposed to sleep and eat properly and he's so careless. Sometimes I feel like his mother more than his girlfriend."

Jane frowned, "I don't think Dr. Stark can control his nightmares. I don't think anyone can control nightmares…..or maybe they can if they use magic…... I'll have to ask Thor…...but anyways. Um…..I don't think Dr. Stark is having nightmares on purpose….."

Ms. Potts looked a little taken aback that Jane did not agree with her fully. "Yes….but if he only slept properly…...he might stop getting them"

Jane knew Ms. Potts wasn't a doctor but surely she couldn't be that naive. "I don't nightmares have anything to do with how regular a person's sleep cycle is. I mean I'm no expert but after my dad died, mom had nightmares about it for years. She kept a regular sleep cycle. Even took sleeping pills. It didn't take the nightmares away. It….it takes time and….. patience…?"

Ms. Potts looked like she was about to argue but the elevator dinged open on the 22nd floor. There were people milling about. Ms. Potts turned to her before leaving, "Dr. Foster I appreciate your input. But I have known Tony for more than a decade. I know how to handle him." She left without looking back.

Jane huffed, "He's not a pet or a bomb that can be 'handled'"

The elevator door closed. JARVIS spoke through the speakers, "Do you still wish to go to the ground floor Dr. Foster?"

Jane glared in the general direction of the speaker, "Oh. Yeah sure. Now you'll take me when my mood's completely ruined! Ugh! Is Dr. Banner doing something? Just ask him if I can visit. I think I'll go to the park some other time. You really shouldn't have done that JARVIS."

"Dr. Banner says he is available" There was a pause. "My primary objective is to protect Sir. In my ten years of 'life' I have come to understand protection can be from people as well as things. I just….wanted you to see that…."

Sometimes Jane wondered if JARVIS was a real person sitting in a room somewhere. He expressed emotions so well. Jane sighed, "Look J I understand that you're worried but Dr. Stark and Ms. Potts are adults. They can make their own decisions. If Dr. Stark is ok with this relationship, you and I can't really do anything about it. I mean….maybe we can express our concern but the choice is his. But listening in on other people's private conversations is wrong. So don't do that again ok. Just tell me you're worried about Tony and I'll approach him myself."

There was no immediate response but Jane knew JARVIS was thinking. "Very well Dr. Foster. I shall not do that again. Taking you to Dr. Banner now."

The elevator went up to the 84th floor. It opened to another floor like Jane's only here the color palette included green and there were cushions with hulk's face printed on them. A joke, courtsey of Dr. Stark. But Bruce actually liked it so the cushions stayed.

Bruce was at the dining table with Natasha Romanoff to Jane's surprise. "Uh….Hi. I'm Jane Foster. I don't think we've met before…."

Natasha smiled, "No we haven't. I'm Natasha Romanoff. Nice to meet you. Please do sit"

Jane sat at the table. Bruce spoke up, "Natasha had a few days off so she came to visit. She had promised me she was going to make me some Syrnki and Grenki"

Jane looked at the food on the table, "Oh yeah. That's cheese pancakes and Russian version of french toast right?"

Natasha nodded, "Yes. I told Bruce he would love it. But I've been busy. This is the first time in months I had time on my hands. I thought I'd drop by and make good on my promise. I'm three hour train ride away but I feel like I live on a different planet" 

Bruce sipped his tea, "Fury has been working you and Steve too hard. You should take a vacation. It's long overdue."

Jane popped a piece of Grenki in her mouth and listened to Bruce and Natasha. 

"SHIELD doesn't exactly have a leave application system. It's all very on the spot. I should have more in the coming months. I hope I do. Bruce has yet to try some Lazy Vareniki!" Natasha complained.

Bruce shook his head, "I don't think anyone will approve a leave application if you write 'Want to cook Lazy Vareniki' as the reason Nat. How's Steve doing?"

Natasha smirked, "The fossil is doing as fossils do. Which is to say he's been working non stop and trying to date. It's not going well" 

Bruce looked at Natasha in surprise, "Cap's trying to date? Really? Wait….Nat don't tell me you set him up with someone"

Natasha looked mock offended, "Without asking?! Never. I have been giving suggestions though fossil rejects them all"

"Probably because you suggested a hardcore goth or something. He's still assimilating Nat. Go slow" Bruce pointed out.

Natasha opened her mouth to retort but her phone chimed. She immediately picked it up and looked at the notification. Her expression became serious. "I have to go…..I have to go…."

Bruce didn't look surprised so Jane guessed this was a common occurrence. Natasha got up and fetched a bag from one of the rooms. She put on her jacket and shoes. "Bruce... I'm so…"

Bruce stood up and hugged her, "it's fine Nat. It's alright. I'll see you later. Yeah?"

Natasha nodded, "Yes. Of course. I'll call you." She hugged Bruce back and waved at Jane as she left. 

Jane waved her goodbye. Bruce sighed and sat back at the table. Jane popped another piece of Greniki in her mouth. "So you and Natasha huh? Now I'm starting to feel left out…."

Bruce smiled at her, "Maybe Nat can set you up?" 

Jane shook her head, "No thanks. I was into goth in college but it's not my scene anymore. It's cool I'm just messing. I'm done with relationships for the moment. Wanna take a day off and watch old sci-fi films and criticise them? I'm still half asleep from last night."

Bruce nodded, "Yeah me too. Although it was fun. I haven't gone on a science binge in a while. Man that makes me sound old. Come on let's drag the futurist too. Wanna bet he's already in the lab working on something else?"

Jane shook her head, "No. He's probably moping in his room. JARVIS went all Skynet and made me snoop on him and Ms. Potts fighting."

Bruce raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Really? Again? They were fighting a couple of days back too."

Jane perked up, "Really? Damn. JARVIS is worried about Tony. I don't think he fully supports this relationship."

Bruce frowned, "I got that impression too. But I mean…..I don't think we can….I don't think it's appropriate if we intervene. We don't really know their dynamic that well…."

Jane sighed, "Yeah…..I don't think it would go well with either of them….."

Jane and Bruce both contemplated the right course of action. Jane shook her head. "Come on. We can at least distract Tony for a while. I'll help you clear this and we can go ask him to join us."

"Apologies Dr. Foster, Dr. Banner but Sir just left the building. He has gone for a walk." JARVIS spoke up. 

"Or not…." Bruce shrugged. He started clearing the table. "It's fine Jane. We can catch him when he gets back."

Jane nodded. They both cleared the table and put on Star Wars, instructing JARVIS to inform them when Tony got back.

**Frission Expresso, New York**

Tony sat at a corner table wearing his favored disguise of cap and hoodie. He took a sip of his Chestnut Praline Frappuccino. Ok so maybe Tony had a thing for fancy coffee. But come on it was coffee! There was no need to be so judgmental about it. Just like there was no need to be so judgmental about the research.

Tony huffed. Honestly. He stayed up one night. Just one night! It was no big deal. Pepper was blowing things out of proportion. Tony checked his phone as he drank his coffee. He had a meeting in an hour. God! He was so tired! But sleep had become uneasy again. The nightmares were back in full force.

Tony knew why. Ever since his talk with Thor the idea that something was still out there aiming for Earth had been haunting him. It brought the nightmares back. Tony had reviewed all footage of Loki. His eyes had definitely been blue in Stuttgart and in New York while the battle was raging. But afterwards? Green. His eyes were green just like Thor had said. That meant there was some truth to Thor's theory that Loki had been controlled by someone and forced to attack New York.

Now Tony's worry was back with double force. If someone was capable of controlling Loki then what chance did a human like Tony have? So he designed the Iron Legion. It was mostly for search and rescue. If Tony had his way, there would be a uniform defense system that protected all countries and cities. But that was a long way off. It would require a humongous plan and also require cooperation from all countries or at least the majority of counties. Considering the fact that Tony couldn't agree with his own girlfriend, he didn't expect the countries of the world to be able to reach an agreement on something like this anytime soon.

Tony sighed. Sometimes it felt like everyone was against him. Tony finished his frappucino and got up. He had to leave now to reach the meeting on time. He didn't want to hear another lecture about how irresponsible he was. One yelling session a day was enough. Tony wasn't looking where he was going. He turned and ran into someone and dropped his empty cup. 

"Hey watch it!" A deep baritone voice yelled. Tony looked up to see a tall guy in scrubs with blue eyes and dark hair frowning at him. The guy had managed to save his own coffee from spilling.

The guy was looking at Tony with the most offended expression he had ever seen. Tony picked his fallen cup. "Sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. I didn't mean to do that."

The guy was now squinting at him. Oh right. From this close it was almost impossible not to recognize Tony. The guy looked confused. "I feel like I have seen you somewhere. Nope. Can't remember. Must not have been important"

Now Tony was offended. "Must not have been….are you kidding me? You don't know who I am! How is that possible?"

The guy shrugged, "With that choice of clothes it's entirely possible. Where did you buy these? A college dorm?"

Tony gaped. No one. No one insulted his fashion sense. He got in the guy's face angry that he had to get on his toes to do so. "Now you listen here McDreamy I have excellent fashion sense. Excellent you hear me. I am trying to be inconspicuous. There's nothing wrong with my clothes."

The guy looked surprised for a moment but then his expression became sarcastic, "Really? What other gems do you have in your closet? A college hoodie? A gurney sack? Skeds? It's certainly inconspicuous. I wouldn't want to be seen around you."

Tony fumed. He was about to retort but a voice interrupted him. "Stephen? I thought you were getting us a table? Are you seriously arguing about fashion in a coffee shop? The guy apologized. Just let it go."

Stephen turned to a woman who's expression reminded Tony of Pepper. "Oh come on Christine. I was minding my own business. He's the one who ran into me."

Christine shook her head, "What are you five? Honestly. I don't have time. I have to get back for my shift." She turned to Tony. "I'm so sorry Mr….." 

Christine trailed off. Tony knew that look. This one definitely recognized him. He lowered his cap to hide his face. "Yup. It's cool. No problem. I…..I gotta go."

Tony rushed out before someone else recognized him. As he left, he heard Stephen exclaim, "Ow! Why are you hitting me?! What did I do?!" Tony smirked. He was feeling better now. He walked out and mingled in the crowd.

TBC….


	10. The City of Ice (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thor is constantly fascinated and the council on Asgard almost dies from shock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so excited for this chapter that I finished early....

**Royal Palace, New Utgard, Jotunheim**

Thor woke up and found himself on a bed staring at a high ceiling made of ice. Loki was asleep beside him, in his male form, skin blue instead of pale. Thor ran a hand through his hair. Loki shuffled closer to Thor, still asleep. Thor slowly sat up. The bed he was on was huge. The wood was so dark it almost looked black. Instead of silk sheets, there were furs covering the bed. He was still in the same clothes he had been wearing when they found that strange room.

The room they were in was completely made of ice. There were three heavy doors made of the same dark wood as the bed. There was a desk made of ice with a chair made of dark wood. Thor was about to get off the bed when one of the doors opened and Farbauti stepped in.

She looked at Thor and smiled. "Ah. King Thor you are awake. How do you feel?"

Thor blinked at her for a moment before remembering his manners. "I feel well, Queen Farbauti. I…...I don't recall how I got here though"

Farbauti sat on the chair by the desk. "One of the soldiers patrolling the old city found you both in the snow unconscious. Loki here had reverted to his Jotun form. The soldier recognized the markings. He brought both of you to me immediately. I and Jarnsaxa examined the place you were found. It appears, you found a path and stumbled through it all the way here. Loki was also holding this dagger in his hand"

Farbauti pulled out a bejweled dagger she had sheathed on her belt and gave it to Thor. He looked at it. Oh. Right they had been in that room. Thor took the dagger and tucked it on his belt. "Thank you. We actually found a hidden room in the palace. We're not sure who it used to belong to. There was a blood spell on a wall that opened up to a passageway that led here. We found this dagger hidden with another blood spell. Though Loki said the spell was detached like the person who cast it was no longer there. I...I am not sure what it means….."

Farbauti nodded, "When a mage or a witch casts a spell they use their sedir to do so. Sedir is alive in itself. So the sedir in the spell is alive too. What Loki means to say is that the spell had no live sedir in it. That would happen only if the caster's soul no longer exists. A rare occurrence."

Loki stirred beside Thor. He opened his eyes confused, "Thor? What happened? Where are…..," Loki sat up and froze when he saw Farbauti. He looked around the room realizing they were no longer on Asgard. "Oh. I see. So that passageway was a secret path….."

Farbauti smiled at Loki. "Yes. We found you in the old city. I will have to look at the blueprint to confirm it but I think the passage led you to Bestla's old rooms. How the passage is still intact escapes me though."

Loki looked around frantically, "Wait…..what time is it? We have to go back before someone in the palace realizes we are no longer there……"

"Easy little frosting. It is still night. You were found an hour ago. I do not think too much time has passed since. You have time. There are still three hours to dawn", Farbauti reassured.

Loki still looked worried. But Thor was thinking, "What if we don't go back the same way we got here?"

Loki and Farbauti looked at him with twin expressions of confusion, “What do you mean? We have to go back, Thor. We can’t be seen here.”

Thor looked at Loki, “Why not? Uncle Ve gave us that blueprint. He had to have known about the room. Even if he did not know about it. This is our chance. That room clearly belonged to Bestla. We can say we accidentally stumbled through the hidden passage. It’s the truth after all. Think about it Loki. We can use this to introduce the idea that the Jotun can be peaceful. Queen Farbauti can send a message that we were found and General Tyr can use the Bifrost to take us back. We can say Queen Farbauti treated us well. It’s the spark we needed.”

Loki still looked unconvinced, “First of all, nobody will believe Queen Farbauti ‘found’ us. They will all accuse her of trying to kidnap us. Secondly how are we supposed to explain us snooping around the palace.”

Thor sighed, “Oh come on Loki. We can show the council the blueprint and claim we found it in the documents from the Archives and got curious. Uncle Ve knows he was the one who gave it to us. But I doubt he would be willing to confess that to the whole council. We can pull this off. I’m telling you it’s a good opportunity.”

Before Loki and Thor could continue their argument, Farbauti interjected. “If I may children. Shall I give my input on the matter?”

Loki and Thor looked at her sheepishly. “Yes of course…..mother. Sorry we should have asked you first what you thought about it.” , Loki blushed.

Farbauti looked at Loki in surprise. Probably because he called her mother. Thor knew he hadn’t done that before. Farbauti was silent for a long moment before speaking, “Uh….yes. I think Thor’s idea has merit, Loki. You have clearly stumbled on a big clue and if Ve helped you get to it…..then things in Asgard are not as they seem. You might have more allies than you realize. This is a good first move. Just test the waters a little. It will give people the idea that not all meetings with Jotunheim devolve into war. If it’s taken badly then we step back and approach the issue from a different direction.”

Loki frowned, "You're willing to bring the Aesir here? You're willing to let them come to Jotunheim? I assume we are in the rebuilt Utgard. Do you really want the Aesir here?"

Farbauti shook her head. "No I don't. We won't lift the shields till we are back in the old city. I am not willing to let the Aesir in New Utgard yet. But I am willing to take the first step towards them"

Loki bit his lip contemplating. "Fine. Alright. I guess we wait now. Or are you going to send a message to Asgard now. Can you even do that? I thought all communication was stopped between Asgard and Jotunheim."

Farbauti nodded, "They were stopped. But the mechanism we had is still there. I can use it. Assuming it's twin is still intact on Asgard, it shouldn't be hard. If it doesn't work I can always use dream communication. Let's wait an hour before attempting. The city is asleep but I can show you the palace, if you want?"

Thor looked excited about that. Loki wanted to see it too. "Yes. Of course. I would love too"

Farbauti smiled, "Wonderful! Here Thor, the city is underground and closer to the Casket. It is colder here than on the surface. This should help"

Farbauti waved her hand and a red cape trimmed with fur appeared in her hands. Thor got off the bed and touched the fur. He took the cape and put it on. It was very warm. Loki got up as well, coming up to Thor and Farbauti, looking at the cape curiously. Loki realized that despite the ice walls, the room was actually not that cold for him.

He looked around the room again. It did not look like someone lived here but it had all the necessary things. A desk, a bed and a chest in one corner. "Who's room is this? I hope it wasn't a problem housing us here unexpectedly"

Farbauti studied her nails, "Not at all. The room….. it's…..well it's yours. Or it would have been if you lived here….."

Loki blinked, absorbing that. He went over to the chest and opened it. It was filled with books and toys and weapons and tools. Farbauti came beside him. 

She pulled things out of the chest naming them, "This is a toy Laufey had made for you when he got the news that I was pregnant. This is a book on Jotunheim's folktales. I would have read them to you at night. This is the dagger Laufey would have gifted to you on your coming of age. This is a book of spells. I would have taught you from it. This is a diary for you to write your own spells and charms. This is…... I'm sorry…….you probably have all these things back on Asgard…..I….."

Loki put his hand over Farbauti's, "No…. it's…. it's alright…..I…..I don't mind. I…. I'd love to learn from you…..when…..when I was in Helheim…. Lau-father taught me some things about Jotunheim….. I'd love to learn more from you"

Thor shuffled on his feet. Every time he saw Loki talk to Farbauti, he felt immense guilt. Thor knew he wasn't the one who stole Loki from his home but it was still hard to see how Farbauti had spent years yearning after her child who had been alive the whole time. Honestly it was a testament to her generosity that she didn't toss Thor out and shut Jotunheim's doors for Asgard forever.

Farbauti smiled at Loki. He was very perceptive and knew just what to say and when to say it. "I'd love to teach you, little frostling. Come. Let me show you the palace. Maybe we can go to the city square. It will be empty at this hour but we can still look at the architecture."

Loki nodded, putting all the things back in the chest. He hesitated, "Can I take this with me? To Asgard I mean. Can I take this with me to Asgard? If you don't mind….."

Farbauti shook her head, "No! No, not at all! All these things are yours. Of course you can take them with you."

Loki smiled, "Thank you" He waved a hand storing the chest in his pocket dimension and stood up. Farbauti led them out of the room, down a hallway. Thor looked at the ceilings marvelling at how high they were. There were a few guards in the hallways. They looked at Thor curiously but bowed to Loki and Farbauti, even smiling at Loki. The hallways were narrower than the ones on Asgard. Probably because they were underground. There were strange blue and violet balls of light floating in the air, giving light. 

Farbauti led them to the throne room. A massive hall of ice with giant pillars and an ice throne. There were carvings on the pillars and some furs on the throne. There was also an ice chandelier in the throne room and the same floating lights. It was beautiful. Thor was fascinated. All the books on Asgard claimed the Jotun lived in caves like animals. But this throne was just as grand as the one in Asgard. It had its own beauty.

“This is the throne room. I hold open court here once every week. I want to introduce you to my council but it can wait for the morning. Do you want to see the library?”, Farbauti asked.

“Loki is always ready to see a library. You might want to hide your books though, he never returns them.”, Thor commented

Loki elbowed him. “Shut up. I borrow for long periods of time that’s all. Yes mother we would love to see the library.”

Farbauti led them to a massive door made of the same dark wood. “Here is the library. Some of the old books were lost in the war. But we managed to save most of them”

The library had wall to wall sky high shelves of ice with leather bound books. There were tables and chairs of dark wood for sitting. Thor examined the wood again. “I have never seen wood like this. Where does it come from?”

"This wood is from the Iron Woods in eastern Jotunheim. The trees are evergreen and one of the few plants that grow on Jotunheim. The bark is very strong and heavy. It takes my strongest people to transport it. But it makes for some sturdy furniture. You won't find wood like this on any other realm" , Farbauti explained.

Thor ran a hand over a table. Maybe he could trade in Iron wood with Jotunheim. Loki was drawn to the miles and miles of books. Some were too big for him, clearly having been written by some of the taller Jotuns. Loki was not a small man. He did feel dwarfed in Thor's presence at times but here he felt like a child. Loki went for one of the more average sized books.

It was a compilation of the wars of Jotunheim. Loki put it back. He didn't want to read about wars. He moved further into the library. As he was walking past a shelf he heard a noise of pages turning. Loki stopped. He tilted his head to try and find the source of the noise.

There was someone behind one of the shelves. Loki peered behind a shelf. It was a little girl with black hair that had a purplish tinge to it. She must be about 5-6 years old. She was wearing a bright blue dress and was reading a book twice her size. Well reading was an exaggeration. She was turning pages and looking at the pictures.

"Hello there. What are you doing?" Loki asked gently

The girl looked up startled, "Oh nos! I waz not doing anything. Are yous the new libranyian?"

Loki couldn't help but smile at the girl. He knelt down so he was level with her. "No, I just came to borrow a book. I love reading. Do you love reading too?"

The little girl nodded vigorously, "Yes! I loves reading! You can reads with me!"

The little girl pushed the book towards Loki with great effort. Loki's smile widened, "Yes I'd love too! What is your name? I am Loki"

The little girl smiled at him. She had one tooth missing, "I is Dana!"

Loki sat down beside Dana, picking up the book and flipped through the pages. It was about the history of Jotunheim. Dana was obviously more interested in the pictures of the royals and the castles than the actual history.

"Hmmm. Where to begin? Which picture do you like the most?", Loki asked.

Dana leaned on his arm, peering at the book. She turned the page to a picture of Hela. A younger version of her at least. "I likes her. She so pretty! She has black hairs like me!"

Loki heard footsteps approaching them. "Loki? Where are y-...Oh. Um...hello?" Thor looked at the little girl who was staring at him with big red eyes.

Loki watched Dana carefully. She had obviously never seen an Asgardian before. Loki was worried she might not take it well. "Yous just like the King from the book!", Dana exclaimed.

She turned the pages of the book to a page with Odin's picture on it. He was in his Aesir form. "See! Yous jus like him!"

Thor blinked. He hadn't ever seen a Jotun child. Ever. He didn’t know how to react. The little girl clambered over Loki to Thor and held out her hand. "I is Dana. Who are you? Do you come to borrow a book too? Do you like reading? I likes reading. Are yous a king? Why are yous so pale? Do yous never go out in the sun? Will yous burns in the sun?" 

Dana asked all the questions in one breath. Thor looked like he was about to flee, so Loki intervened, "This is Thor. He's my…..er….friend. He's from Asgard. That's why he's so pale. Everyone on Asgard is pale like this. He does burn in the sun. He goes all red when he’s been in the sun too long”

Dana giggled. “Red like my eyes? I dons like the sun too much. Itz too hot!”

Thor finally blinked out of his shock. He had no idea why he never thought about Jotun children but he somehow always associated Jotun with big blue people. Of course Jotun had children. Loki was Jotun after all and he had been the most adorable child ever. Not that Thor was going to tell him that. He didn’t want to get stabbed.

“I don’t go red like your eyes…..but yeah I do burn in the sun. What are you doing up so late? Shouldn’t you be asleep at this time?” Thor sat down beside Loki. 

Dana pouted, “No…….I wanna read! I will sleep in a few minutez. Promize!”

Farbauti peered behind the shelf to see what was causing so much noise at this hour, “Dana! What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be asleep. Did you sneak out of your room again?”

Dana shuffled on her feet, “No…….I waz not sleepy! I wanna read!”

Farbauti picked Dana up and held her on her hip. “You can read in the morning Dana. Your mother will be so worried when she wakes up and you are not there. You shouldn’t sneak out like this young lady”

Dana played with the buttons on Farbauti’s tunic, “Soowy ama Farbauti……..I love reading!”

Farbauti smiled at Dana, “Yes. Yes. But good little girls sleep at night and read in the morning. Come now let us go back to your room.”

Dana nodded, then pointed at Thor, “Look ama! He iz all pale! Like the King in the book!”

Farbauti looked at Thor who had gotten up and was looking at Dana, head tilted. He looked as fascinated with Dana as she was with him. “Yes Dana, he is pale. Thor comes from Asgard. The golden realm. You remember I showed you a picture of it. He is the King”

Dana was looking at Thor with wide eyes again, “Really! Do yous have golden horses? I iz never seen a horse!”

Thor smiled at Dana, “We have brown horses and black horses and white horses. You know we even have winged horses. They’re called pegasus. I’ll show you when you visit Asgard.”

Dana smiled happily, “Ok! I visit Azgar soon! I wanna see all the horses!”

Loki chuckled from beside Thor, “Sure Dana. Do you want to see something?” Dana nodded. 

Loki turned to his Aesir form, “Ta-da! I can turn pale too! What do you think?”

Dana squealed and clapped in delight, “I wanna turn pale too! Pweaze! Can yous make me pale too?!”

Farbauti shook her head, “No Dana. Only Loki can do that. He is special. Now come on time for sleep. You can ask Loki and Thor as many questions as you want when we visit Asgard.”

Farbauti walked out of the library, Loki made sure to put the book Dana had been reading on a table. They followed Farbauti through the hallways to a room. The doors were made of ice with patterns carved into it. Thor was once again struck with how creative the Jotun were. All the walls, pillars and things made of ice had these unique patterns on them. He wondered how they were made.

Farbauti lowered Dana down on a small bed made of iron wood and pulled the furs over her. She kissed Dana’s forehead, “Sleep now Dana. No more sneaking out at night. Alright?” Dana nodded, yawning. Farbauti made a motion and from all the floating lights only a small violet one was left still shining. The rest dimmed and Thor could see there were actually flowers in the balls.

Farbauti saw him looking at them curiously. “The flowers are luminous in the dark. They glow at night. We cultivate them and then harvest them. The mages cast a spell to make the flowers more luminous and then trap them in these balls where time moves slowly, so the flowers last long and give light.”

“I have never seen anything like them. We use mage lights to pay tribute at funerals, but those are balls of pure light. I have never ever seen flowers like these.” Thor wondered what other gems were hidden in Jotunheim.

Farbauti smiled, “Jotunheim like Muspelheim has a unique climate. There are many plants and animals here that you will not find anywhere else in the nine realms. Most of this knowledge is no longer common to the rest of the nine. Odin made sure to paint us as uncultured savages but it couldn’t be further from the truth. But let’s not talk about that now. Come I will show you the gardens. You will love it.”

Farbauti led them through the maze of hallways till they reached the end of the palace. The guards there opened the doors for them and they stepped out. Outside Loki noted that they were on a sort of plateau. The palace was at a height. The whole city could be seen from here. The city seemed to be built in levels. It appeared they were beneath some mountain ranges. Farbauti led them to the gardens

“The guards do not seem surprised to see me. Have told them about me? I thought you only told your council I was alive.” , Loki asked.

Farbauti looked at Loki, “I did. The council and I came to the unanimous decision that the people had to know of you. Everyone knows you live. There was great outrage against Odin when the announcement was made. Even the council wanted you back here. The only thing that stopped them from attacking Asgard was the news of your bond to Thor.

Jotunheim has a long memory. We remember the soul bonds from the time of Ymir. We know there is no challenging it. There was a feast to celebrate the fact that you were not dead. The only person still upset is Thrym. He still thinks it would be better if you are back here. But like I said no one can challenge the soul bond.”

Loki frowned, “Are you sure Thrym will not cause problems? He must have soldiers willing to follow him in battle. We recently had a problem like that on Asgard. Are you sure that won’t happen here?”

Farbauti shook her head, “No. Thrym is not like that. At most he will try to get you alone and speak to you himself. But he’s not delusional. He’s not going to go rogue. What problem did you have? Did someone find out you are there on Asgard?”

Loki sighed, “No…..I don’t think so…..It was Heimdall and some of Thor’s friends. They thought…..no they firmly believe ‘Ilvana’ has bewitched Thor and is trying to take over Asgard? I don’t know. I didn’t ask what they thought I was doing. But they tried to kidnap me. It’s a good thing Thor assigned guards to follow me everywhere when I am outside the palace. They are in the dungeon now, Heimdall included.”

They had reached the gardens. The flowers were indeed luminous. They were glowing in the dark. There was a hole to allow light to come through during the day. Loki looked at the flowers curiously. He could feel they were alive in a way. 

Farbauti frowned at Loki. “Heimdall actually supported a plot to kidnap you? I thought he was smarter than that. If he suspected you were on Asgard for some nefarious purpose, he should have waited and searched for clues rather than simply kidnapping you and accusing you.”

Thor snorted. “I know right…..But I think Heimdall has gotten used to being forgiven for everything. Did you know when I was exiled and Loki was King Heimdall disobeyed him? That was treason but Odin never punished him for it. Odin always let things go when it came to Heimdall. He probably thought I would do the same. I didn’t. I am tired of Heimdall and everyone else thinking I can’t make my own decisions. It is high time they learn to accept that things won't always go how they want them to.” Thor marveled at the texture of the petals of a luminous purple flower.

Farbauti nodded, “Indeed. It is best to be firm with such people from the start. You are just beginning your reign. If you allow people to get away with misbehaviour it will be taken as cue and then later you will have problems when you try to correct it. Have you decided on a punishment for Heimdall? One of the major reasons Odin lets Heimdall go every time is how useful he is. Not lately of course. But in the past Heimdall has thwarted many plotters and attackers by spotting them on time.”

Thor shook his head, “I haven’t thought about it yet. But Heimdall’s usefulness does not mean he gets a special pardon for all things. He has to be punished. Your Grace, you said the Casket has weakened Heimdall’s powers. Is it possible to take them away completely?”

Farbauti and Loki both shook their heads at the same time, “No. If you attempt to take his powers away it will kill him. He is part Jotun and for a Jotun, sedir is like air and water. Heimdall won’t survive without it. You can however block his powers temporarily like Odin did with you.”, Farbauti suggested.

Thor looked down, “I don’t…...I don’t really know how to use sedir. Odin never let me learn. I…..I’m not sure I can do it.”

Farbauti blinked at him surprised. “Really? But you use your thunder so well…….Ah. I see. Odin only ever taught you to channel your power into a weapon. He never taught you how to be self sufficient. You do not need Mjolnir Thor. The thunder lives in  **you** not in Mjolnir.”

Thor nodded, “I know that now. I have been trying with Loki. But…..we have very little time between the council meetings and trying to unearth information…...also Loki can be Loki only in the privacy of our rooms. He cannot take me to the training grounds and teach me there. The risk that he might get lost in the heat of the moment and revert to his natural form is too great…..”

Farbauti tapped her chin. “Hmmm…..I see…..how about…...if this thing we are attempting here goes well, we can open a tentative relationship with Asgard. I can send Jarnsaxa over, she will be able to help you. We could also take you to the Casket. But I have no idea if you can handle its power. Let’s keep that as a sort of last resort.”

Loki tilted his head. “Where is the Casket? Previously the palace and the temple used to be on the same ground. But I can see now the palace grounds don’t include the temple. Has it been moved?”

Farbauti nodded, “Yes. The temple is no longer a part of the palace. I moved it to the other end of the city. Last time the palace and the temple were constructed so they intertwined. That was a mistake. When the palace was lost, the priests in the temple did not get time to evacuate because the temple was in the same place and could be accessed via the palace. I did not want to make that mistake again. The temple is on the other side of the city. There are tunnels beneath the palace leading to it but we can close them off in case of an attack. At least this way any attacker will have to divide their forces to capture the palace and the temple at the same time.”

Thor nodded, “Yes that makes more sense. And you would also be able to send a warning to the temple in case of an attack. That would allow them to escape while an invader is held up at the palace. You could also empty the temple and create the illusion that priests are still there and use the tunnels to escape. These plants….they feel alive…..in a way….”

Farbauti smiled, “They are. They have absorbed the sedir in the ley lines of Jotunheim. That is why they glow at night. We pluck them very carefully, only when they are fully bloomed. I didn't even ask….would you like to eat something?”

“No mother. It’s alright. Shall we send that letter now? What time is it? It’s so difficult to tell, being underground.” Loki wondered

Farbauti waved a hand and a shimmery clock appeared. “There are just over two hours to dawn. I think we should send that message now. We want to leave some margin. We need to head back to the old city before the Bifrost hits.”

Loki, Thor and Farbauti made their way back in the palace. Farbauti led them to her study. There was a tall Jotun with white hair tied in a braid, wearing armor standing outside. He straightened when he saw Farbauti. 

“Your Grace” The Jotun bowed. He looked at Loki in surprise but when his gaze fell on Thor, he narrowed his eyes, glaring.

“Thrym. I see news travels to you despite me saying otherwise.”, Farbauti commented.

Thrym did not stop glaring at Thor, “Dana found me and shook me awake. She wanted to tell me about the ‘pale king’ she met. She couldn’t wait till morning”

Farbauti shook her head. “Of course. Your granddaughter is as impatient as you. Stop glaring at King Thor. We’ve had this conversation already.”

Thrym looked offended, “You are really going to let  **him** walk our halls after last time. Have you forgotten how he attacked us the last time he was here? He should be in the dungeons not roaming freely with the Prince!”

Thor shrunk down. He knew it. He knew there was no excuse for the way he had behaved the last time he had been on Jotunheim. Loki stepped forward and in Thrym’s face. Although Thrym was a good two heads taller than Thor and Loki had to crane his neck backwards to do so. But it didn’t stop him.

“While I agree there is no excuse for Thor’s behaviour. I will not have you or anyone else speak of him like this. He knows he made a mistake. You forget, a lot of Thor’s attitude towards the Jotun was a result of lies Odin fed him his whole life. The moment the truth was out Thor did everything to correct his behaviour. I am here today because he gave up a piece of his soul to bring me back. He is going against his own father and trying to forge a better future for us all. At least give him a chance before you judge him.” Loki fumed.

Thrym did not expect the vehemence with which Loki defended Thor, "My Prince…..I did not mean to anger you…..I was just….."

Loki glared at Thrym, "I understand that you have problems trusting the Aesir. I don't blame you for it. But please remember General Thrym that Thor and Odin are two different people. Odin's sins do not become Thor's and you forget we are bonded. Whatever fate Thor bears I will bear too. If you throw him in the dungeon you will have to throw me there as well."

Thrym bowed his head, “I mean no disrespect to you, My Prince. I only want the best for our people. Bergelmir let the Aesir in our halls. They ate our food and drank our wine and married our people and then stabbed us in the back. We cannot bear another betrayal from Asgard. The last one nearly killed us all.”

Loki’s glare softened, “I understand that General Thrym. I have heard everything that happened from Hela and father. I know how much destruction Odin caused. But an endless hatred is not the answer. We cannot bring back the people already lost but we can make a better future for our children. How long will you live like this? Under the ground, afraid of occupying your own land? Jotunheim cannot spend the rest of its existence living in fear that Asgard will attack. We have to move on. We have to. For the good of us all.”

Thrym sighed, “And what if you are wrong? What if the Aesir never accept us?”

Thor spoke up, “They will. I…..Do you know how we got here? My uncle Ve gave us a map that led us to grandmother Bestla’s room. Lady Eir has served as my mother’s and now King Freyr’s spy for centuries. I…..so many Aesir are descendents of not just Buri but also Ymir. Odin buried this truth but I promise you on my mother’s grave, I won’t let it be buried anymore. We can forge peace. We can. The road is not easy but it's not impossible. We can do this if we work together.”

Thrym assessed Thor. He was far from the arrogant boy that had stomped in demanding things. He had changed. Perhaps the Aesir could change too. In truth Loki was right. Jotunheim could not live in fear of Asgard forever. “Very well. But my loyalty is to my people. If you ever, ever hurt them I will find a way to break your bond to the Prince and cut off your head from your shoulders.”

Thor nodded, “If there ever comes a time that I go back on my word, I will be ever grateful if you stop me.”

Farbauti smiled, “I do not believe it will ever come to that King Thor. Now come on. We have little time. The guards that are posted at your rooms must have reported your absence by now. We have to send that message now.”

**General Tyr’s Rooms, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Tyr was sleeping when a knock interrupted his sleep. He ignored it at first. But the person kept knocking. Eydis pushed Tyr. “Go on, see who it is before they break down the door.”

Tyr grumbled. Here he was sleeping peacefully with his wife and the bloody idiots couldn’t handle things even for a few hours. He opened the door glaring at the guard who was knocking. “What?! What is it?!”

The guard looked flustered and anxious. “General….His Grace….and Lady Ilvana…..they left four hours ago and they did not return to their rooms. I can’t…….I can’t find them anywhere. Some of the other guards reported that they saw Mjolnir flying. And then there’s this strange room we found in the West Wing…..I don’t understand…..” 

Tyr’s sleep vanished. “WHAT?! THE KING  **AND** LADY ILVANA HAVE BEEN MISSING AND NOW YOU DECIDE TO REPORT IT! YOU SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME SOONER!”

Eydis came to the door. “Tyr! What happened?! Why are you shouting?!!”

Tyr went and grabbed his sword. “The King and Lady Ilavana are missing. I have to go, Eydis. Please don’t leave the room. Lock the door and do not open it for anyone but me. It could be nothing but maybe we have intruders. Do not leave the room”

Eydis nodded. Tyr quickly put on his armor and hurried down the hall, “Show me which strange room you are talking about. Did His Grace say anything before leaving?”

The guard shook his head, “No Sir. He left with Lady Ilvana without saying anything. But he did have a scroll in his hand. He wasn’t even wearing armor. The room is this way.”

Tyr turned a corner and came to a bloody hole in the wall. There was a puddle of water on the floor and hole big enough for a person. Armod was peering through it, clearly confused. “Armod. What is this? Why is there a hole in the wall?”

Armod straightened, “I don’t know sir. It was there when we got here. It appears someone built this wall to hide the room behind it. We cannot find it in the palace’s blueprints. We have no idea what purpose the room serves. We have not looked inside yet. We thought it best to wait for you.”

Tyr stepped through the hole. The room was old. It had likely not been opened in centuries. Dust covered every surface. There were books but no pictures or murals in the room. It appeared to be the private chambers of someone. Tyr stepped further inside, Armod on his heels to the bedroom. There to his surprise, he found Mjolnir in one corner by an open chest. There were what appeared to be dresses which had been pulled out of the chest on the floor.

Tyr went over to the chest and examined it. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it. At least not at first glance. He peered inside. Tyr frowned. He looked at the chest from the outside and peered inside again. That was…..wrong. The chest’s depth did not match it’s height. It should have been deeper. Tyr felt around the bottom for a catch or a hidden compartment but there was nothing there.

Armod was examining the walls. “Sir look at this…….”

Tyr went over to Armod. He couldn’t see anything. He frowned, “What is it Armod? I don’t see anything…”

Armod looked at Tyr in confusion. “You do not see the tiny runes on the edge of this wall?”

Tyr peered at the wall. “No. I do not see anything. This is a plain wall. Perhaps you are mistaken.”

But Armod wouldn’t let it go, “But….I see it…..I see runes……”

Tyr was about to tell him off but then he paused. Maybe Armod was mistaken but maybe he was not. Tyr needed an expert. “Guards!” The guard who had fetched Tyr came in “Go fetch Lady Ravenna and Lady Eir. They are the most talented witches in Asgard right now. We need their opinion. And also inform the council and ask them to come here.” The guard bowed and left.

Tyr went back to the chest and looked through the clothes. These were all indeed dresses. Then Tyr’s hand touched something that was definitely not cloth. He moved the dresses. It was a scroll. And old scroll. Tyr picked it up looking at what was in it. It was a blueprint of the palace. Tyr was confused, some of the rooms were all wrong. Or….maybe they were hidden rooms like this one. 

There was a sound of footsteps. It was Lady Ravenna and Lady Eir. Tyr stood up, “My ladies, I apologize for disturbing you at this hour, but the matter was urgent. We need your opinion.” Tyr pointed to the wall. “Armod says he can see tiny runes carved in the wall’s edge but when I look at it I see nothing. Can you examine it? Perhaps it is a spell of some sort....?”

Lady Eir and Lady Ravenna went over to the wall and examined it. “I can feel sedir imbued in the wall but it is….it is strange…..sedir should not feel like this”, Lady Ravenna remarked.

Lady Eir looked at the edge of the wall. “I see them! I see the runes. This is a doorway of some sort. There is a blood spell. It’s…..it’s an old dialect…...one we don’t use anymore….maybe I can…..”

Lady Ravenna came and stood beside Lady Eir, “Ah yes! I see them too! Let me translate….I have more practice with this dialect. It was used in the time of King Buri.”

Lady Ravenna translated the spell aloud, “ _ Only the blood of Ymir may open this door. A passage for a frostling to find its way home _ ”

Tyr couldn’t keep the shock off his expression. “Blood of Ymir!!! That’s impossible!!! Why would a spell meant for a Jotun be here in the palace on Asgard!!!!”

Before Tyr could continue to rage, the council members all came in looking ruffled and confused. “Tyr. What happened? Why have you called us here? What is all this?”, Lord Vili asked.

“My Lords and My Lady, a guard reported that His Grace and Lady Ilvana have been missing for some hours. They were last seen in the West Wing. I came here and found this hidden room. Mjolnir is here but there is no sign of His Grace or of Lady Ilvana. I also found this old blueprint of the palace. I believe this is how His Grace found this room. There are some strange runes on this wall so I call Lady Eir and Lady Ravenna to examine it for spells.”, Tyr reported.

The council members looked worried and suspicious. “Well then what spell is there on the wall?”, Lord Vili asked.

“My Lords, My Lady. The spell on the wall is for a passage. I translated the spell but…..I don’t…..I don’t know what to make of it…..”, Lady Ravenna hesitated. 

“It is alright Lady Ravenna. Whatever it is, just tell us.” Lady Sigrid encouraged.

“The spell…..it is in an old dialect…..the one used in the time of King Buri...it...it translates like this.  _ ‘Only the blood of Ymir may open this door. A passage for a frostling to find its way home _ ’....I….don’t understand…..”, Lady Ravenna looked like she was about to faint.

The council members were all outraged. “What?!!! What are you saying Lady Ravenna?!!!”, Lord Njal exclaimed.

“Surely not My Lady there must be some mistake in your translation”, Lord Sten insisted.

“Perhaps we should study the dialect and translate it again. This is impossible. How can a spell for a Jotun exist on Asgard?”, Lady Sigrid asked.

Vili and Ve looked at each other. They knew it was entirely possible for a spell like this to exist on Asgard. Vili looked around the room. His eyes fell on the dresses. He recognized them. He hadn’t seen them or the person they belonged to for centuries. But he could never forget them. They belonged to his mother. That meant this was her room. 

After his mother’s death Bor couldn’t bear to be in the same living quarters. He had shifted his things to a different part of the palace, but Vili’s mother’s things remained untouched. No one visited this room. Odin must have removed the pictures of her but left the things as they were. Even Odin held some emotion for their mother. 

But this was not good. This was bad. This was very bad. It was entirely possible that the passage General Tyr had found led to Jotunheim. Oh Norns! This was terrible! The last time Thor had been on Jotunheim he had killed Jotun left and right, leading to his disastrous exile. This was very bad. Vili knew that maybe Farbauti might send Thor back in one piece but Thrym?. Never. Thrym wouldn’t hesitate to kill Thor. He didn’t have Mjolnir to defend himself with. Vili prayed to the Norns that Lady Ilvana was a capable witch. Though he knew that the Jotuns were near unbeatable when it came to sedir. Still maybe she could buy herself and Thor some time. They had to act now!

“We can argue about the translation later. If Lady Ravenna is correct then this means it is possible that His Grace and Lady Ilvana are in Jotunheim right now. We must not waste time. We need to check if His Grace and Lady Ilavana are in Jotunheim”, Vili insisted.

“But how do we do that without actually going to Jotunheim?”, Ve asked.

“We can…..we can call on Heimdall. He is in the dungeons but his sight is not affected by it. We can ask for his help…..if His Grace is stuck on Jotunheim then time is of utmost importance. We have to act fast”, Lord Njal suggested.

Ve did not look convinced by that. He was about to argue when there was an odd chime that reverberated through the palace. The council members looked at each other confused. But Lady Eir tilted their head as if they had heard something.

“That was…..that was a spell…..it….it came from…..”, Lady Eir ran out of the room. The council members all looked at each other before following her.

Lady Eir stopped at the door of the inner throne room. “It’s a spell. It’s coming from here.”

General Tyr opened the door and they all stepped in. To their surprise there was a big scroll made of an odd parchment in the middle of the room. There was some melting snow surrounding it. General Tyr carefully picked it up and unrolled it, reading it aloud.

_ “Greeting Council Members, _

_ I know you must be worried about His Grace, King Thor and the good Lady Ilvana. Fear not. My soldiers found them in the ruins of the palace. They seemed to have stumbled through a secret path. They are hale and hearty and in one piece. You can come and take them back home at your convenience. _

_ Farbauti, _

_ Ruler and Protector of Jotunheim” _

The council members all looked at each other dumbfounded. In the corner Lady Eir bit her lip to hold in the laughter. It seems things were finally moving…..

TBC….


	11. The Monster Within (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our Fury struggles to understand how it came to this and Jonathan/Zaaroc would very much like to be able to use magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have had some free time lately so......here you go!

**Somewhere in Washington DC**

Fury drove down the road.  _ “Activating communications encryption protocol” _ The computer reported.

“Open secure line 0405”, Fury commanded.

“ _ Confirmed”,  _ the computer responded.

“This is Hill”, came the voice of Agent Maria Hill over the line.

“I need you here in D.C. Deep shadow conditions.” Fury told her.

“Give me four hours.”, Hill responded.

“You have three. Over”, Fury ended the call.

He stopped at a red light. A police car stopped beside him. The police officers kept staring at him. Fury found it odd. “Want to see my lease?”, he commented.

The light turned green. One of the officers gave him a look while the other spoke something on the radio.. They drove away. Fury ignored them. He had no time for idiots. As he drove another police car suddenly hit his car knocking it into the pavement. Fury could not keep a hold of the steering wheel as the airbag activated. The police car which had driven ahead reversed and hit the car's bonnet. Two more cars came from behind and hit Fury's car. Fury felt the bone in his right hand snap. His nose was bleeding and he was having difficulty understanding what just happened.

" _ Fracture detected _ " the computer reported. " _ Recommend anesthetic injection" _

Fury opened a glove compartment and pulled out the anesthetic injection, injecting it. A SWAT car stopped beside his car and several SWAT officers came out with guns.

" _ DC metro police reports no units in the area" _ the computer noted.

Fury knew that. Police officers asked you to step out. They didn't resort to road accidents. Fury spit out a broken tooth.

"Get me out of here" He commanded just as all the 'police officers' took aim and started shooting. 

" _ Propulsion systems offline _ " The computer reported.

Fury grit his teeth in frustration. "Then reboot damnit!"

On his windshield Fury could see the armor integrity was at 80% The men outside stopped shooting. The 'SWAT' team pulled out a battering ram. Fury was feeling nervous now. 

" _ Window integrity compromised _ " Fury was so sick of this damn computer stating the obvious. "You think?!"

The men positioned the battering ram aiming for the window. Fury moved away as much as he could from the window. "How long to propulsion?". Fury asked

" _ Calculating _ " the computer responded just as the battering ram hit the car lifting it off the road half before it dropped down. 

" _ Window integrity at 31% Deploying counter measures _ " The computer activated the hidden gun

"Hold that order!" Fury commanded. The battering ram hit the car again. " _ Window integrity at 19% _ " the computer reported. " _ Offensive measures advised. _ "

"Wait!" Fury ordered. The battering ram hit the car a third time. 

" _ Window integrity at 1% _ " the computer reported. Outside the men advanced on the car. "Now!" Fury ordered. A gun came up and Fury aimed it at the men and shot them down. He launched a mini missile at the SWAT vehicle. The men around the car fell dead.

" _ Propulsion system online _ " the computer reported. 

"Full acceleration. Now!" Fury exclaimed. He kept shootinf as the computer took over the steering wheel and drove out, crushing the cars surrounding them. Some of the men that were still alive tried to shoot at Fury but failed.

"Initiate vertical take off." Fury told the computer

" _ Flight systems damaged _ " the computer responded

Fury groaned in pain as he sat back properly in the driver's seat. "Then activate guidance cameras and give me the wheel!"

Fury drove ahead, chased by two police cars. "Get me Hill" He needed help. " _ Communications array damaged. _ " The computer reported. "What's not damaged?!" Fury asked frustrated.

" _ Air conditioning is fully functional _ " the computer reported and Fury briefly wondered if Stark had a hand in designing this little shit.

Fury tried to shake the tails off but to no avail. " _ Traffic ahead _ " the computer noted. 

"Get me an alternate route." Fury ordered. " _ Traffic alert on Rossevelt bridge. All vehicles stopped. 17th Avenue clear in three blocks, directly ahead." _

Fury sped up, trying to avoid hitting cars as much as he could. He managed to block the cars chasing him but there were too many vehicles on the road. Fury was forced to slow down. The 'cops' got out of the car and climbed over the vehicles trying to get to Fury and shooting at him, regardless of the people in the way. Fury had to get out of here. He drove pushing the car ahead of him out of the way. He managed to hit one of the fake cops and also injured another. 

Still the bloody bastards refused to give up. Who the hell were these people?! Fury drove trying to shake them off. The bloody bastards started shooting at him again. With the windows compromised, Fury ducked to avoid the bullets. He was about to drive his car sideways into one the police cars chasing him when another black SUV hit it from the side driving it off course and onto the pavement.

The SUV drove closer to Fury. The second police car came on Fury's right. He was sandwiched. The window of the SUV lowered. To Fury's shock it was Jonathan. He was aiming a gun at Fury. "Duck!" Jonathan ordered. Fury obeyed on instinct. Jonathan shot the police officers in the other car through Fury's car right on the head. A perfect shot. The other car swerved off road. 

" _ Warning approaching the intersection _ " the computer warned. Fury tried to drive Jonathan off road but he was too fast in reacting. He managed to avoid getting hit by Fury's car and applied the brakes. Fury took advantage and turned the corner on 17 Avenue. His windshield was completely broken. The anesthetic was beginning to wear off. Fury could feel the fatigue. He was crashing. Hard.

Through the windshield he saw someone on the road. It was a guy with long hair, a black mask covering his face. He had some sort of gun in his hand. He shot some kind of bomb out of the gun. The bomb latched on the bottom of Fury's car and blew, taking Fury's car with it. Fury was completely disoriented as the car was flipped and landed on its head.

The man was calmly walking over to Fury's car. Before Fury could decide what to do, Jonathan's car hit the man sending him flying off the road. Jonathan opened the passenger side door. “Hurry! Get in! We don’t have time!”

Fury with great effort got out and hurried to Jonathan’s car. The unknown guy was apparently still alive and making his way back to them, aiming his gun at them. Fury shut the door and Jonathan drove out of the way just in time as the guy shot another bomb at them. Jonathan shot at the guy but he moved out of the way. Jonathan tossed his gun to Fury and drove down a street. Fury saw the unknown guy staring at them in the rearview mirror but he seemed to have given up the chase for the moment.

Jonathan drove them through some streets till they came to an abandoned warehouse. Fury could really feel the pain now. He needed meds, possibly also a doctor.

“Well that was not fun at all.” Jonathan looked at Fury and frowned, “You alright there sir?”

Fury glared at him, “Just peaky. How did you find me?”

Jonathan shrugged, “If you really want to be invisible…..don’t install an AI in your car…? A programmer who knows what he’s doing can trace anything. The best move is to ditch all technology. You’re lucky I bugged Pierce’s office.”

Fury looked at Jonathan surprised. “You….who are you? What do you want? I am going to guess it’s not about Steve Rogers…...Why should I trust you?”

Jonathan looked at Fury with a serious expression, “I was just doing my job. But that Lemurian Star mission was off. What was Jasper Sitwell doing on that ship? Why would a pirate hijack the ship of a covert organization that is capable of taking him down when he has literally dozens of other ships to choose from? Then I realized Batroc did what he did on someone else’s orders. And Jasper Sitwell? He was not supposed to be there. Your signature is on the order but Cap was surprised to hear about it and even Widow looked perplexed. She hides it well but not well enough. 

I know the Widow reports only to you. She was in the computer room getting intel from the ship’s mainframe. But why? If you gave the order to have Sitwell on the ship why ask Widow to get all the info from the ship. You could approach Sitwell directly. You put him there so technically he is supposed to report to you. This roundabout way of getting information from your own ship is super shady behavior. I built up on that premise. Maybe you should reconsider your stance on the whole compartmentalization thing. Whose idea was it anyways?”

Fury was still suspicious. But really what Jonathan said made sense. He was more observant than Fury had expected. “It was my idea but Pierce has always been an avid supporter of it. How did you manage to bug Pierce’s office anyways?

“Magic”, Jonathan replied. Fury’s eye twitched. He didn’t like sarcastic dickheads. He had enough problems as it is.

When Fury did not react. Jonathan sighed. “Fine. Be that way. I purposely erased some details from my bio so it took Rumlow more time to write his report. Ergo when he submitted it to Pierce he got curious as to why the report was delayed and read it. He likes talking to new recruits. Especially the ones you set in specific positions. I bugged him then. Now can we move on from me to you and your terrible choice in friends? Damn. Now you remind me of my brother.”

Fury sighed. “I’ll direct you. We need to go to a secure location. I know one. I have contacted Hill. She should be here soon.” Fury grunted as he jostled the fractured arm.

Jonathan looked at him concerned, “Are you sure? Maybe we should go to a doctor first. There must be someone you know who we can trust.”

Fury shook his head, “Later. Just drive. We need to go off grid first.”

Jonathan looked like he was about to protest but then he let it go. Fury gave him the direction and they went to one of Fury’s personal safe houses. It was built beneath the dam and was completely off the books. As expected Hill arrived there in three hours. Jonathan used the medical supplies available to patch Fury up as best as he could. He did a small spell to make sure Fury did not bleed out internally. If he did anything more it would be noticeable. 

Hill looked him up and down, then ignored him completely in favour of Fury, “What happened?”

“Betrayal. SHIELD is compromised. Pierce is running his own show. I don’t know how many are with him. Could be nobody. Could be everybody. Can’t say. I’m cut off Maria. I go back, Pierce will kill me in broad daylight and label me a traitor. He’s not going to let this go.” Fury looked exhausted for the first time.

“Then give him what he wants.” Jonathan suggested.

Hill looked at him with narrowed eyes, “What do you mean?”

Jonathan sat on a chair in front of Fury, “Pierce wants you dead. You flew too close to the sun. Now you are a liability. He knows you won’t let Project Insight take off. Therefore you have to be taken out of the way. So do it. Get taken out of the way.”

Hill looked outraged but Fury was thinking. “You’re saying I should stage my own assasination.”

“Yes. That’s the only way to take Pierce’s eyes off you. Pretend you are dead. It will buy us time to flush out which people are SHIELD and which people are part of the parasite. Look, you are already injured. You can’t run like this and hiding in hole waiting for this blow over isn’t going to cut it. I say we fight back. But we have to be smart about it. Because currently the enemy holds all the cards. We need time.” Jonathan explained.

“And how do you propose we stage this assassination? It has to be convincing enough for Pierce to back off.” Maria asked.

Jonathan thought about it. With his magic it was child’s play to create an illusion convincing enough for Pierce. But he didn’t want to give himself away till there was absolutely no other choice. Besides he hadn’t been able to reach Thor or Loki all day. Something was up with those two. Without Thor backing him, Fury was never going to believe him. 

“We have to make it look real. Which probably means taking a bullet or two…...but maybe we can control where the hit is done. Do you have any medicines that can slow your heart rate down enough that a doctor will mistake you for dead?” Jonathan asked.

Fury grunted as he sat straighter, “I might have access to something like that. Taking a bullet is risky. I can actually die from that. You do know that don’t you?”

Jonathan leaned in. “Not if you’re with someone who’s reaction is faster than the average human. We need one clear shot and then disruption. You are already injured heavily. It’s believable than one more nail in that coffin led to your end.”

Maria blinked, “You’re suggesting we involve Steve Rogers in this. That’s….that’s actually doable. He has an agent posted to keep an eye on him. She will be able to call for backup immediately and Steve is more than capable of handling uncommon threats.”

Fury thought about it. The idea did have merit. He could pass the flash drive to Steve and Hill could call Natasha. Jonathan was already assigned to Steve. He and Natasha would be able to decrypt the drive. They could also keep Steve away from Pierce. They might be able to pull this off. Project Insight had to be stopped. At any cost. Fury made a mistake. He had to correct it. 

“Alright. This is doable. I will go to Steve’s house and pretend I’m there to ask for help. The apartment is bugged. Pierce will send his lackeys to take me out and I will let them get one clean shot. Steve will definitely chase them which should prevent another hit. Hill you get doctors and nurses and a damn hospital. Jonathan you stick with Steve once I am underground. If things start to get too much out of hand. Bring him here. We need to move now.” Fury got up with effort and fetched the Tetradotoxin B

He handed it to Jonathan, “Here I’m trusting you to inject this once I’m shot. Can’t do it before. It has to be after the bullet’s been fired. And it has to be done discreetly.”

Jonathan took the injector pen. “It will be. Are you sure you don’t need a doctor?” Humans were so fragile and Fury was pushing it.

“What are you, my mother? That’s the second time today you’ve said that. I’m fine. I’ve been in this business while you were still wearing diapers. I can do this.” Fury retorted. 

For some reason that amused Jonathan. He looked at Fury like  **he** was the child for a moment before shrugging. “Just checking. I guess I will see you after your death. Hmmm…..I never thought I’d say that again.”

Fury frowned, “Where would you have ever said that before?”

Jonathan shook his head, “Nowhere? I have a brother who used to love playing dead. It was a long time ago.”

Fury shook his head. How did he end up with people like this? “Whatever. Just don’t screw this up. Hill call Natasha and say something’s come up. By the time she gets here I will be in the hospital. If two of the best in SHIELD believe I’m dead, the rest will believe it too. Let’s roll.”

Jonathan nodded. He got in his car and drove to Steve’s apartment to wait for the inevitable. Well if he had known today was the day Fury was going to pick for getting shot at he might have held off on sowing doubt in Steve. He needed to relay everything to Thor and Loki. But he had no time. He stopped on the side of the road and transferred all his memories of today on a memory stone then sent the stone to Loki like he would a letter. Jonathan wished he had more time but he didn’t. This will have to do.

Back in the safe house, Fury watched Jonathan over the monitor. He had put cameras in a mile’s radius from the safe house so no one would be able to sneak up on him.

Maria came and stood beside him, injecting another anesthetic. “Are you sure we can trust him? He’s clearly sending information to someone. That was some kind of advanced gadget. I don’t like it.”

Fury pulled out the real injector pen with Tetradotoxin B and gave it to Maria. “I don’t trust him. Here. This is the real one. The other’s just colored sugar water. I don’t think he’s reporting to Pierce or we would be dead by now. His story’s good. Except the part where he managed to bug Pierce. He couldn’t have done that with any known tech. Pierce sweeps his office twice everyday. No matter how good the bug is it would have been found. Jonathan if he even is Jonathan did something else. He’s sticking with us for now so we’ll let him. But keep your eyes on him. Besides, the guy gives excellent ideas.”

Maria nodded, “Of course. I have called Dr. Fine. He will be here to take care of you once we transport you from the hospital.”

Maria left to make some arrangements and Fury also left to go to Steve’s apartment. He really hoped this went well. 

**Steve Rogers’ Apartment, Washington DC**

Steve parked his motorcycle and jogged up the stairs to his apartment. His neighbor, Kate was talking to someone on the phone, laundry basket in hand. 

“I gotta go though. Okay. Bye” She ended the call and put the phone on the top of the clothes. “My aunt. She’s kind of an insomniac though.”

Steve decided to take Natasha’s advice, “Hey if you want…..You’re welcome to use my machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement.”

Kate raised her eyebrows, “Oh yeah? What’s it cost?”

“A cup of coffee?”, Steve ventured.

Kate shook her head, “Thank you. But I already have a load in downstairs, and you really don’t want my scrubs in your machine. I just finished a rotation in the infectious disease ward, so….”

“Well, I’ll keep my distance.” Steve suggested.

“Hopefully, not too far.” Kate chuckled. She turned to leave but then stopped. “Oh, and I think you left your stereo on.”

Steve looked at his door. “Oh. Right. Thank you”

Kate smiled, “Yeah.” She headed downstairs with her laundry. Steve watched her go before turning back to his door. He leaned in trying to hear the sounds inside. He could hear music playing inside. That was odd. Steve was sure he had not left anything on.

Steve decided to go in through the window. He went back down and went to the other side of the building, climbing up the fire escape. He opened his window and climbed in silently. He moved further in, picking his shield up from beside a shelf and looked in the living room. 

Steve sighed. It was Fury. He was leaning on the sofa playing a record. Steve leaned against the wall, “I don’t remember giving you the key.”

Fury sat up, “You really think I’d need one. My wife kicked me out.”

Steve looked at Fury confused, “Didn’t know you were married.”

Fury stared back, “A lot of things you don’t know about me.”

Steve went to switch the light on, “I know Nick. That’s the problem.” As the light turned on Steve saw Fury was injured.

He was about to ask what happened but Nick held a hand up silencing him. He turned the light off again and turned his phone towards Steve  _ ‘Ears everywhere’ _ Out loud he spoke, “I’m sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash” Nick typed something on his phone again.  _ ‘SHIELD Compromised’ _

“Who else knows about your wife?”, Steve understood that by wife Nick meant SHIELD.

Nick got up.  _ ‘You and Me’ _ the message on the phone said. “Just….my friends.”

“Is that what we are?” Steve genuinely wanted to know. 

“That’s up to you” Nick replied.

Before Steve could say something else somebody shot Nick through the window. “Ahh!” Nick fell down injured. Steve quickly dragged him out of view of the window, behind some shelves. Nick had something in his hand. It was a flash drive. Steve took it.

“D-don’t t-trust a-anyone”, Nick choked out. 

Someone broke the door open. “Captain Rogers?” It was Steve’s neighbor. She was holding a gun. “I am Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service.”

“Kate?” Steve was shocked.

Kate put down her gun, “I’m assigned to protect you”

“On whose order?!” Steve demanded.

Kate came up to Nick. “His.” She checked Nick’s pulse and pulled out a radio “Foxtrot is down. I repeat Foxtrot is down. I need EMTs.”

“Do we have a 20 on the shooter?” the guy on the other side asked.

Steve looked out his window, seeing a man fleeing. He turned to Kate, “Tell him I’m in pursuit.”

He jumped out his window using his shield and into the building on the opposite side. The shooter was running on the rooftop, Steve followed him from below, breaking down doors and walls that got in his way. The shooter jumped off the roof onto a building at a lower height. Steve jumped onto the same roof and threw his shield at the shooter. To his surprise the shooter caught the shield. He seemed to have one arm made completely of metal. He tossed the shield back at Steve and he had to use all his strength to keep from falling off the roof. By the time Steve looked up the shooter was gone.

Later Steve was in the hospital. When he had gone back to his apartment, Jonathan had been there along with STRIKE. They had rushed Fury to the hospital immediately. Now here Steve was waiting as they operated on Fury. Someone opened the door. It was Natasha. She narrowed her eyes at Jonathan but ignored him. Coming to stand beside Steve.

“Is he going to make it?” She asked.

Steve looked down. “I don’t know.”

“Tell me about the shooter.” Natasha demanded.

“He’s fast, strong. He had a metal arm.” Steve replied.

Maria Hill also came into the room. “Ballistics?”, Natasha asked.

“Three slugs. No rifling. Completely untraceable.” Maria replied. “Soviet made?” Natasha asked. Maria looked at her, “Yeah.”

In the operation theatre. The doctors and nurses became frantic. 

“He’s in V-tach.”

“Crash cart coming in”

“Help me with the drape nurse.”

“BP’s dropping!” 

“Defibrillator!”

“I want you to charge him to 100”

“Don’t do this to me Nick”, Natasha whispered. 

In the theatre the doctors got ready to try and bring Fury’s heart beat back. 

“Stand back.”

“Three, two, one, clear”

“Pulse?”

“No pulse” 

“Okay 200 please.” 

“Stand back!” 

“Three, two, one. Clear!” 

“Get me epinephrine!”

“Pulse?”

“Negative”

“Don’t do this to me, Nick. Don’t do this to me….”, Natasha kept whispering.

The doctors all stopped as the line on the heart monitor went flat.

“What’s the time”

“1:03 am, Doctor”

“Time of death, 1:03 am” The doctor declared finally.

Maria and Steve left the room. Natasha tried to get a hold of her emotions. Jonathan looked like he was about to say something but then he left too.

Outside Steve looked at the flash drive Fury had given to him. Behind him Jonathan saw it too. It must be the one with the Lemurian Star’s data. He had to get to it. Natasha came out of the waiting room. A nurse came and told them they could see the body. Jonathan hung back as Steve and Natasha went ahead.

Maria came beside him. “STRIKE team is here. They will probably ask Steve to go with them to the HQ. Follow them. Get Steve out. Decrypt the flash drive and meet at the safe house. I’ll transport Fury. Under no circumstance must that drive fall in Pierce’s hand. Understood?”

“Understood” Jonathan replied. “It looks like the Widow knows who the shooter was. You might want to ask her. He was clearly enhanced. Normal people don’t have metal arms. He’s a threat that needs to be eliminated.”

“Leave that to me. You focus on the Captain.” Maria left to go get Fury’s ‘body’

Jonathan frowned. He needed to go through his memory stones again. Maybe there was something about this shooter on there. Loki still hadn’t responded. It was beginning to worry him. He really hoped nothing was wrong on Asgard. Otherwise they would have some serious problems.

Jonathan straightened as Natasha Romanoff stormed out, Steve on her heels.

“Natasha!” Steve called out. 

Natasha stopped, “Why was Fury in your apartment?”

“I don’t know”, Steve responded. Jonathan shook his head. It was obvious he was lying.

Rumlow came up to them. “Cap? We need you back at SHIELD.”

“Yeah. Give me a second.” Steve replied.

“They want you now.” Rumlow insisted. Jonathan stepped forward. “Can you take me with you too? I’m headed the same way. Come on. Let’s give Cap a second and wait there.” Jonathan didn’t give Rumlow a chance to respond, pulling him to the end of the hall. He could still hear Steve of course.

“You’re a terrible liar.” Natasha told Steve before walking away.

Rumlow glared at Jonathan, “You should mind your own business.”

“I am. I am assigned to Steve Rogers. So….technically he is my business. What’s your excuse?” Jonathan challenged.

Rumlow huffed. “Whatever. I’ll drive you to SHIELD. But you are no longer assigned to Steve Rogers. Secretary Pierce’s orders. So stay out of the way.”

Jonathan held his hands up in surrender. Rumlow left talking to Sitwell over the comms. Fuckers. They were all in on this. Jonathan turned back to Steve and saw him slip the flash drive into the vending machine that was being repaired. He also saw Natasha watching Steve. Well at least the flash drive was safe then. 

Steve walked up to them. “Let’s go.” Rumlow ended his conversation and nodded. “STRIKE move out.”

As they were leaving, Jonathan saw Natasha put coins in the vending machine. He also felt a letter appear in his pocket. Jonathan slowed down letting other people go ahead of him and pulled out the letter.

_ ‘Found passage to Jotunheim in the palace. Stumbled through it. Returning took time. Big argument with Vili and Ve. Bestla’s secret out. Found murals of Hela in the throne room of all places. It was underneath the current mural. It’s chaos here right now. Vili and Ve removed from the council. The rest want a thorough investigation. Thor might have to step down from the throne. Don’t intervene in the humans’ affairs too much. Might need you to return abruptly. _

_ Loki’ _

Well shit…..

TBC…


	12. Pandora’s Box (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thor should really learn to control his powers better. The council should really be used to shocks and Farbauti's guards should really do a better job of keeping an eye on Dana

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that this story is in no way compliant to Norse mythology......

**Inner Throne Room, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

After getting over the shock of receiving a letter from Jotunheim, the council members panicked.

"We must send soldiers to Jotunheim immediately! Queen Farbauti has crossed all lines! His Grace's life is in danger!" Lord Njal exclaimed

Ve sighed, "Lord Njal you are overreacting. If this had been Queen Farbauti's doing she wouldn't have informed us. She would have sent us His Grace's body. But I do agree. General Tyr we must fetch His Grace and Lady Ilvana right now. Prepare some soldiers to go with you."

"How do we believe that she is not lying? This could be a trap." Lord Sten insisted

"We have the Bifrost if it feels like a trap we can use it to bring our people back" Vili pointed out.

"The more time we spend here arguing the more risky it becomes for His Grace and Lady Ilvana" Lady Sigrid said 

“Precisely. So the first thing to do should be to go to Jotunheim and get them back. We can argue about what caused His Grace and Lady Ilvana to fall through the passage later.” Ve declared.

“I will stay back and monitor the situation from the Hlidskjalf. Without Heimdall it is the only way to see into other realms and we need that right now.” Lord Njal pointed out. 

The others nodded in agreement. “I shall fetch the books and see if we have translated the runes we found accurately.” Lady Eir said.

Ve and Vili looked at each other. They wanted to protest but they couldn’t. It would be suspicious. 

“Yes. Yes. Lady Eir. Go ahead. We need to know what spell it really is. This cannot happen again.” Lady Sigrid agreed.

General Tyr quickly summoned his best soldiers and set out for the Bifrost with the Council sans Lord Njal. Vili inserted Hofund in the Bifrost mechanism and aimed for the ruins of Jotunheim. The Bifrost activated and General Tyr and the soldiers with him went through.

**The Old Ruins, Jotunheim**.

Farbauti waited with Thor and Loki who was now in the form of Lady Ilvana. Farbauti was still amazed at how talented Loki was in shapeshifting. It came to him naturally. She had sent the message an hour ago and now they were waiting with Thrym and a few soldiers in the old ruins. Farbauti had given a fur cloak to Loki much like Thor’s. The weather of Jotunheim was perfect for Loki but not for the form he had chosen which was of a Vanir. It would be odd if Loki stood there in the cold without being affected by it.

“Oof!” a little voice came from behind Farbauti. They all turned around and saw Dana tumble over a rock. Thrym immediately went to her, “Dana! What are you doing here? You are supposed to be in the palace!”

Farbauti facepalmed. Just what they needed. She had to talk to her guards. This was the third time Dana had managed to slip out of the palace unnoticed. How did the little girl make it so far though?

“Dana how did you get here?” Farbauti asked the little girl who was now in Thrym’s arms.

“Dúfa helped me!”, Dana pointed behind her. Dúfa, who was a frost beast, came out from the fog, wagging its tail like a dog.

Thor looked at the frost beast, surprised at how friendly it was. Then he realized it wasn’t a full grown frost beast. It was smaller than the one he had seen when he first came to Jotunheim. Before Thor could suggest that they maybe send Dana back, the Bifrost hit a few meters away from where they were standing. 

Soldiers poured out and surrounded them. “Surrender now and let His Grace go, Farbauti! You are surrounded!”, General Tyr boomed.

Farbauti and Ilavana rolled their eyes. Thor let out a frustrated sigh. Dana looked near tears, clearly scared of the unknown men surrounding them. The frost beast Dúfa looked ready to attack them. Thor quickly stepped in front of Farbauti before the situation devolved.

“General Tyr what is this?! Why did you bring so many soldiers? Didn’t the message Queen Farbauti sent state that I was fine? Me and Lady Ilvana have been treated well. This is inappropriate behavior” Thor motioned for the soldiers to stand down.

The soldiers all looked confused. But the authority of the King trumped the General so they lowered their weapons. One of Farbauti’s soldiers held Dúfa so it did not attack anyone. Dana chose that moment to wriggle out of Thrym’s grip and run to Thor.

“Ares this peoples goings to takes yous aways? I donts wants yous to goes aways” Dana hugged Thor’s legs.

General Tyr looked like he was having an aneurysm. He clearly didn’t know how to react to Dana. The soldiers all looked baffled as if they had never seen a child before. Well…..that wasn’t completely inaccurate. They had probably never seen a Jotun child before.

Thor picked Dana up and into his arms. He smiled at the little girl. “I have to go Dana. You remember I said I was the King of Asgard? These are my soldiers. This is General Tyr. He was worried about me so he came to take me back home.”

Dana looked at Tyr suspiciously who was still looking like he was having an aneurysm. She looked back at Thor, “Can I iz comes with yous? I wanna see horses! You powmized!”

Ilvana came up beside Thor. “We know Dana. But not today. You can visit us some other time. Did you tell your mother you are here?”

Dana looked at Ilvana, confused for a moment where she had come from. She looked around obviously looking for Loki, then looked back at Ilvana. Thor really hoped the little girl didn’t ask where Loki was. But Dana tilted her head at Ilvana for a moment before blinking like she had just realized something.

“No…..Mama don’t know I iz here…..” she admitted quietly, looking guilty

Ilvana brushed a piece of hair out of her face. “Then you should go back. She will be worried about you. You don’t want her to worry do you?” Dana shook her head. “You have to ask her before coming with us to Asgard. Why don’t you go back for now? You can ask her and if she says yes we will come and get you. Yes?”

Dana nodded. “Ok. Yous really pretty like this.” She told Ilvana. Farbauti came and took Dana from Thor’s arms before she said anything else. “Yes. Yes. Lady Ilvana is very pretty. Now I think that’s enough mischief for today, young lady. King Thor has to leave now. He’s been here long enough.”

General Tyr finally seemed to have found his voice. “Your Grace! How did you end up here?! We looked for you everywhere! Then we found this strange room…….” Tyr trailed off looking at Farbauti suspiciously though he couldn’t hold the stare for long as Dana waved at him happily.

“Ah. Yes. That was an accident. We seemed to have found a secret path and fell through it…...Queen Farbauti found us unconscious and gave us shelter. She then contacted the council. But we will talk of this later. Let us go back now.” Thor said.

General Tyr nodded dumbly. The soldiers looked at Farbauti and the other Jotuns suspiciously but Dana’s presence made them look less intimidating and the soldiers clearly didn’t know how to react to that. Thor turned to Farbauti bowing his head in respect. 

“Thank you Queen Farbauti for opening your home to me and Lady Ilvana. Thank you for your hospitality.” Thor smiled at Farbauti.

Farbauti bowed her head in response. “You are welcome, King Thor. Safe travel. May the One Above All be with you.”

“And may the Norns guide you.” Thor responded. Ilvana waved at Dana who waved back smiling widely. “Bye!”

General Tyr and the soldiers all went back to the Bifrost site with Thor and Ilvana in a daze. Light surrounded them and carried them all back to Asgard.

Farbauti watched her child leave and sighed. She wished Loki could stay. Thrym put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry My Queen, I have a feeling that soon Prince Loki will walk freely among us.”

Farbauti looked at the sky longingly. “I hope you are right, Thrym. I hope it comes to pass as you say.”

**Bifrost Dome, Asgard**.

Thor blinked as they landed back on Asgard. It was still night, though the sun was beginning to rise. The council members all crowded him.

“Your Grace! Are you alright?! We were so worried.” Lady Sigrid exclaimed.

“General Tyr, call for the healers immediately! We need to have His Grace examined!” Lord Sten ordered.

Thor frowned, “Why would I need healers? I am perfectly alright. I don’t have any injuries save for the one Heimdall gave me.”

“But…..you were on Jotunheim…..” Lord Sten stuttered.

Thor raised one eyebrow, “Yes. I was. But why would I be injured? Queen Farbauti was very kind. She even gave me this cloak to protect against the icy winds of Jotunheim. Why do you assume I would be injured just because I was on Jotunheim?”

Lord Sten did not seem to have a proper answer for that. Thor shook his head. “Anyways. I am back now. Come let us go back to the palace. I want to hold an emergency meeting.”

Thor did not wait for a response. He turned to the soldiers, “You are dismissed. Be sure to not speak of what happened today to anyone.”

The soldiers bowed and left. Thor, Ilvana and the rest of the council made their way back to the palace. Lord Njal was in the throne room by Hlidskjalf. Lady Eir was also there with Lady Ravenna. They seemed to be arguing.

“This is not possible Lady Eir. There must be some mistake. This cannot be right.” Lord Njal argued.

“My Lord, we have gone through all the books on this dialect. Lady Ravenna’s translation is correct. I am as perplexed as you are but it is what it is.” Lady explained.

“I don’t understand. It is a blood spell. How did the doorway open for His Grace? He is not related to Ymir in any way” Lady Ravenna rubbed her forehead in confusion.

“An excellent question, Lady Ravenna.” Thor interjected.

Thor came up to them. “I would love to know how the doorway opened for me. And mind you it was me.” He pointed to the cut on his thumb. “I cut myself on the edge of the wall and the door just opened out of nowhere. I did not know there was a blood spell involved. What did it say?”

“Um….  _ ‘Only the blood of Ymir may open this door. A passage for a frostling to find its way home’ _ ” Lady Ravenna said nervously.

“What you are saying is impossible Lady Ravenna! There is no way the door would open for His Grace if the requirement was that it opens for the descendents of Ymir.” Lord Sten looked angry now.

“Calm down Lord Sten. Don’t yell at Lady Ravenna. She did not put that spell there. She is only translating it. Your anger is misplaced” Thor’s voice had gotten deadly calm the way it did when he was truly angry.

He turned to his uncles. “Uncle Ve? Uncle Vili? Don’t you have something to say?”

Vili and Ve looked nervous. “No. It is strange that you were able to open the doorway. But maybe there was another spell there that dissipated when the doorway opened”, Vili suggested.

“Oh. Really? I hadn’t thought of that. Hmm….I see. Very well. Let’s assume that is the case. Whose room is it then? It was not on the current blueprint. It seems like it belonged to a woman.” Thor asked.

“Why are you asking us Thor? We are just as surprised as you to find this strange room” Ve pointed out.

Thor glared at him. “Really? Are you? Tell me uncle why are there no pictures of Queen Bestla? Why is there no description of her features in any of the books? Why?” 

Vili looked nervous now. “Thor why are you asking this? Mother died a long time ago. During Surtur’s attack a lot of damage was done. All pictures of her burned then”

Thor crossed his arms over his chest. “Alright. Strange that King Bor’s pictures did not burn but fine. That’s alright. Tell me what she looked like then. She was your mother. Surely you can describe her.”

The other council members looked confused by this line of questioning but did not say anything. Thor made a valid point. It was odd that there were no records of Bestla’s appearance. 

Vili was panicking. “She…..she had black hair…..and green eyes…...uh…..she was pale skinned like Loki….”

“Like Loki….” Thor interrupted. “How odd. So she shared similarities with Loki? Interesting”

Lord Njal couldn’t keep from speaking. “Pardon me, Your Grace. Why would it be odd that Prince Loki looked like Queen Bestla? I don’t understand…..”

Thor looked at Lord Njal. “It is odd My Lord, because Loki was not my brother by blood. He was ‘adopted’. A secret my father kept to himself till my exile when Loki found out on his own. Do you where my father adopted him from? Jotunheim. Loki was Jotun”

The council members all looked shocked save for Vili and Ve who knew this already. 

“What?! How is this….”

“There must be a mistake! It can’t be!”

“But Loki had pale skin. Jotun have blue skin and markings. It's not possible, Your Grace!”

“This is some spell done by Farbauti! We should have dragged her here in chains!”

“Silence! Let me explain!” Thor boomed. “It is no trickery or spell. It is the truth. Loki was Jotun. My father told me himself. He found Loki in the temple of Jotunheim after the war. Abandoned because he was small. Father brought him here and decided to raise him as his own. There is more….Loki was the son of King Laufey. He was the Prince. The form you saw is a special trait all Jotun of royal blood have. They can all take on an Aesir form. You can see why I find it odd that my grandmother had a form so like Loki’s”

“But…..Your Grace….how….why did King Odin never tell us this? All these years….we call the Jotun our enemy…..that is what our tutors teach…..Prince Loki must have…..” Lady Sigrid couldn’t finish the sentence.

Thor looked down. “Loki must have felt betrayed? Yes. He did. He did feel betrayed. I believe this is why he turned against me and father. He felt betrayed. Rightly so. I don’t know why father never told him. I only know that it did not go well when he found out.”

Lord Njal shook his head. “Everything…..our books….our histories...our stories….everything says the Jotun are monsters. No wonder Prince Loki cut himself from everyone during your exile. He must have felt we might reject him.”

“Wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you have rejected him if he told you he was Jotun?” Lady Ilvana spoke for the first time.

Lord Njal looked at her. “Maybe we might have been angry. Maybe we might have accused him of duplicity. But we would have looked for the truth. We would not have rested till we found it. We would not have cast him out for King Odin’s mistakes. We handed the throne to Prince Loki because we trusted him. We were willing to support his claim to the throne. I do not know what we would have done with the knowledge that he was Jotun. But really does it matter? He was raised on Asgard by Aesir. He worshipped our Gods and followed our customs. He was one of us. He became one of us the day King Odin brought him in this palace.”

“I agree. Prince Loki may have been Jotun by blood but he was raised here. He was one of us. King Odin should not have hidden his heritage. That was not right” Lord Sten agreed.

There was murmur of agreement from Lady Sigrid and even General Tyr. Lady Ilvana looked overwhelmed.

“That cannot be changed now.” Thor decided to bring them back on track. “What I want to know is why my grandmother shared similarities with Loki’s Aesir form. And I want the truth.”

Ve swallowed, “Thor….really it’s just a coincidence…...there’s no….”

“Really?! Then what is this?!” Thor opened a book he had borrowed from Queen Farbauti and opened a page with the picture of Bestla on it in both her forms. “Is this grandmother Bestla?! Is it?! You want to know where that doorway led me?! I’ll tell you! It led me to Queen Bestla’s old rooms in the palace of Jotunheim. So how about you grow a bloody spine and stand up for the truth for once!”

The council looked shocked for a second time in the day. Vili and Ve looked like they were about to flee.

“Thor please…..you don’t want to hear this…...it's too late…..they are all gone…….Odin will…..” Vili pleaded.

“I DON’T CARE WHAT ODIN WILL DO! I WANT THE TRUTH! I WANT THE BLOODY TRUTH! NO MORE HIDING!” Thor screamed. He was so angry his thunder was going out of control again. A bolt of lightning went out from Thor at the ceiling and hit the mural there.

The mural cracked like an egg. Everyone looked up. Ilvana frowned, “Thor? I think….” The mural began to break off. “Get out of the way! Everyone!” Ilvana screamed.

They all hurried to the side as the mural broke and fell on the floor. Hearing the commotion some guards also rushed in. After the dust had settled, they all looked up. To everyone’s surprise there was another mural beneath the one that had fallen. The background was red. It showed Odin in the center all alone with Gungnir. These rest of the mural had a red background and showed Asgardian armies conquering the other realms and slaves building the palace and the city. There was Hela sitting on Fenrir with Mjolnir held aloft in her hand and Odin beside her. Both them drenching the kingdoms in blood. Hela had described the mural to Ilvana but seeing it was something else.

The council members all looked at the mural shocked. Thor looked at it and only felt anger. Anger at everything Odin had done. Anger at his lies that were like termites, eating away at Thor everyday, making a mockery of his life. Vili and Ve were surprised to see the mural but they did not look surprised to see Hela or any of the others in the mural. Lady Eir was not actually surprised either but she did a good job of pretending that she was. The rest were completely baffled.

“W-What is this?” Lord Njal asked 

“Who is that?” Lady Sigrid pointed to the image of Hela.

“I-I d-don’t u-understand…..how can this be?” Lord Sten looked like he was having a panic attack.

The soldiers that had come in were also looking at the mural shocked. General Tyr focused his attention on them. “Call some masons. We need to clear all this.”

Thor shook his head. “No. Let it be. Let them see. Let them see the lies Asgard is standing on.” He turned to Vili and Ve. “I assume since you are up there as well, you know what this is?”

Vili looked like he was about to make another attempt at lying but Ve put a hand on his shoulder. “No Vili. Thor is right. It is about time we stopped fearing Odin and stood up for the truth.” Ve turned to Thor “This is a mural Odin had commissioned to celebrate his victory over Alfheim. It was a long time before you were born. In those days, Odin and Asgard had good ties with Jotunheim….no that’s not accurate. In those days Asgard had blood ties with Jotunheim.”

“What?! This is not possible. What are you saying Lord Ve!” General Tyr finally broke his silence.

“I am saying what is true. Do you know why there are no pictures of my mother? Because Odin burned them all. He did not want anyone to find out that our mother had been Jotun.” Ve explained.

The council members looked like they were about to faint. “Perhaps we should sit down for this conversation.” Ilvana suggested.

Vili turned to her. “Perhaps this conversation should not include you My Lady. It is very personal.”

Ilvana refused to budge. “There is nothing you can say that will surprise me. You forget who rules Vanaheim. Unlike King Odin, Queen Freya does not hide behind lies. We stay silent only for fear of King Odin. Did you honestly believe after everything Vanaheim simply forgot and moved on? Never”

“You are the reason Thor wanted to look at the old records” Ve realized. “You put the idea in his mind.”

“I did.” Ilvana admitted. “I love Thor. I cannot bear to see him live a lie his whole life. He has a right to know the truth. The Aesir have a right to know the truth. We cannot bring back those who were lost but my people want justice”

“We are getting ahead of ourselves. Let us go to the council room. We do need to sit down for this talk. I have a feeling it is going to be long” Thor did not wait for a response. He simply left Ilvana in tow. The council members all looked at each other before following him.

The soldiers who had been waiting looked at each other confused before deciding to go back to their posts. They trusted King Thor. They would wait for his judgement.

**Council Room, Royal Palace of Asgard**.

The council members all sat down at the table looking at each other. They had pulled chairs for Lady Ilvana, Lady Eir and Lady Ravenna as well. Vili and Ve sat side by side, facing Thor.

Finally Vili decided to begin. “Our father, your grandfather Bor married Bestla the sister of Bergelmir, the then King of Jotunheim. You see in those days, Jotunheim was actually more prosperous than Asgard. Our people were not capable of wielding sedir as they are now. The Jotun on the other hand had an affinity for sedir. It came to them naturally and with the Casket…...they were very well versed in sedir.

Our mother used sedir to reshape her biology and gained the ability to shift to an Aesir form. She taught this to her brother and since then all Jotun who are born of Bestla and Bergelmir have two forms-one Aesir and another Jotun. After father and mother’s marriage Jotunheim and Asgard became closer. Our people married their people. The children born of the union were talented in sedir and slowly Asgard evolved. 

The earlier generations had physical traits that gave away their Jotun heritage. Even Odin himself has Jotun markings. He used to have one eye that was red like a Jotun’s but Laufey cut it out during the war with Jotunheim. The form that you all see is Odin using the gift he inherited from our mother.

Odin was always jealous of Laufey and of Jotunheim. He was not as powerful as the Jotun mages and it hurt his ego. He wanted to be supreme. He wanted to be the best. When…..when the dark elves attacked the first time, it was our mother who defeated them. She separated the Aether from Malekith, killing herself in the process. Her soul was burnt out. She was not given a funeral as per the customs of Asgard. She was buried on Jotunheim. Her grave is still there to this day. 

After her death, things changed. Father became obsessed with developing the armies and military. He blamed himself for mother’s death. He thought that if our armies had been more capable maybe she might have lived. When the time came for Odin to ascend to the throne, father wanted him to marry from among the Jotun. A proposal was made to Angrboda, Laufey’s sister. She accepted. Odin married her and they had a child. Odin’s firstborn, Hela. She is the woman in the mural holding Mjolnir….”

The sound of a chair clattering to the floor interrupted Ve. “WHAT!!! I AM ODIN’S FIRSTBORN!!! YOU LIE!!” Thor accused.

Vili defended Ve, “No Thor. Ve speaks the truth. Before his marriage to Frigga Odin was married to Angrboda of Jotunheim and he had a daughter. Hela. You must believe us.”

“Why?! Why should I believe you?! What proof is there?!” Thor asked.

“Yes King Thor is right. What proof is there that King Odin was married to a Jotun? What proof is there that he had another child?” General Tyr demanded.

“The proof is here in this palace. You saw the mural. You see Hela painted on it. The room Thor found belonged to our mother. His blood opened the doorway. That is your proof. He has the blood of Ymir in his veins. Because Odin is half Jotun. I am half Jotun do is Ve. So are many people on Asgard. Even Heimdall shares blood with the Jotun. His father had been half Jotun. Most of our mages and witches have Jotun blood. That is the reason behind their powers. A pure blooded Aesir has a long life and is strong but does not have talent for sedir. That comes from the Jotun blood or from the blood of the other races.” Vili explained.

“You…..you are saying that…...that most of the Aesir currently in Asgard are mix bloods? They are not pure Aesir?” Lord Njal asked.

Ve shook his head, “No. Odin is very good at propaganda and he makes sure to make it look like the Aesir are a superior race but the truth is most people are not even fully Aesir. We mingled with the people of other kingdoms. A lot of the Aesir have Jotun blood because our association with them was the longest but we also have people who have elven and vanir blood. And people who have all three. Thor himself is part Jotun, part Vanir and part Aesir. Heimdall too, like Thor, has Jotun, Vanir and Aesir blood. I cannot say for sure. But I doubt there are any pure blooded Aesir on Asgard anymore.”

“But how is this possible? Why have we never heard even rumors of Odin being married before? What happened to Queen Angrboda and Princess Hela? Why does no one remember them?” Lady Sigrid asked.

Vili sighed. “Angrboda died long ago. Well murdered is more accurate. Odin in his greed to increase his power killed her. It all began when Surtur the fire demon attacked Nidavellir. He forced the dwarves to forge a greatsword for him and killed Etri’s father King Gamon. He declared himself supreme leader of the nine realms. We all banded together and fought back against him. The Jotun were at a disadvantage. The fire magic of Muspelheim, naturally countered their ice magic. Sutur tricked us. His mages used the secret paths and sneaked onto Asgard while we tried to break his camp on Nidavellir.

Hela had power over life. She could see souls. She could bring beings to life. She was set as commander over the Valkyries and left behind in Asgard to guard it. When Sutur sneaked onto Asgard, Hela for the first time in her life used her power over life to kill. She did not succeed completely but she gave Odin the chance he needed to cut off Sutur’s head. After that Odin was convinced Hela’s power over life could be turned into power over death.

He read books, consulted mages and witches and finally took the help of Dykn, Sutur’s wife. The fire demons use necromancy and dark magic. They are very talented at twisting sedir for their purposes. Dykn reformed Hela’s sedir and turned her power of life to power of death. During this time Angrboda fell ill. Nothing our healers or Jotunheim’s healers did helped her. With Hela’s power changed even she could not help Angrboda. After a struggle of many weeks she died. 

It was much later that we found out that Odin had tried to consume her sedir and damaged her sedir channels irrevocably in the process leading to her demise. He even had Dykn killed in the same way. He poisoned Hela’s mind against Muspelheim and framed Skoll, the son of Sutur for the death of Angrboda. In her anger Hela first killed Skoll then laid Muspelheim to waste.

During this time we have developed relations with Vanaheim and Odin really liked Frigga. He wanted to marry her. But she was already pledged in marriage to Vuco the King of Alfheim. That news had angered Odin greatly. He wanted to marry Frigga. But she did not want to marry Odin. She loved Vuco. Odin created a scene at their wedding feast and our relations with Vanaheim and Alfheim soured.

By now Odin was even more obsessed with becoming the leader of the nine realms. Vuco tried to cut all ties with Asgard but Odin did not take it well. Freyr and Freya had never really liked Odin. Laufey tried to mitigate things but Odin wanted access to the Casket and that was something Laufey was not willing to do. That was the first fissure in the relations between Asgard and Jotunheim. Odin isolated Hela. He cut me and Ve from all authority. All the power we had was superficial. He kept putting thoughts in Hela’s mind. 

Hela was young. She had lost her mother. She was cut off from the others with only Odin as company. She believed everything Odin said. Frigga and Vuco had been helping the fire demons. Well the ones that survived Hela’s attack. Odin found out. It was the push he needed. He convinced Hela that Frigga and Freyr and Freya and Vuco were all behind Angrboda’s death. That they were plotting against Asgard.

Odin deployed forces to Alfheim and Vanaheim. Laufey shut Jotunheim off to prevent war from spilling over in his kingdom. Etri sided with Odin for the same reason. Muspelheim was in no shape to side with anyone. The war on Alfheim and Vanaheim was bloody and brutal and long. For many centuries we waged war with them. It was not easy. Alfheim and Vanaheim had gifted mages that often deluded our armies. Hela was reluctant. She did not use her powers fully. But in the end Odin managed to convince her that Alfheim and Vanaheim needed to be brought under Asgard’s control. With Hela’s power over death it was a massacre. Alfheim was nearly reduced to ashes. Vanaheim fared no better. Odin took slaves and gold and every other treasure he could find and carried it to Asgard.

There came a time where only a few hundred people were left in Alfheim and Vanaheim. Freyr, Freya and Vuco decided to negotiate with Odin. They came to Asgard but Odin betrayed them. He killed Vuco and took Freyr and Freya as captives. He demanded that Frigga marry him in exchange for the life of her brother and sister. I….I do not know what changed Frigga’s mind. There were…..there were rumors that she had been pregnant at the time but…..I cannot say for sure. Afterwards Frigga refused to speak of Vuco. 

Around this time Hela decided she had had enough. She rebelled against Odin. The Valkyries sided with her. But Odin spun a tale and blamed the war on Hela. Saying she had gone mad with power. He put out a warrant for her arrest and gave an order to kill all who sided with her. Hela escaped with the Valkyries. She tried to attack Odin and take the throne later but failed. I do not know what happened to her. I only know that Odin declared her dead and as punishment for her crimes had her removed from the records. The Valkyries were all killed so that they could not rebel against Odin. I do not know why Laufey was silent during all this. But Hela was gone. Odin buried all information of her and changed the murals and that was that.

He still held Freyr and Freya captive. I don’t know what Odin said to Laufey but he managed to convince him to help Odin find Frigga. You must understand the mages in Jotunheim have talents we can only imagine. Laufey did what Odin could not. He found Frigga and brought her to Asgard. There was a long talk between Frigga and Odin but in the end she agreed to marry Odin. She was not pregnant when she came here so I do not know if that rumor had ever been true. Odin and Frigga married and a few years later Thor was born. 

What you all do not know is that Frigga nearly died in childbirth. She was in a coma for many days. Odin called on Laufey to help. Jotunheim’s healers were more talented, they managed to save Frigga. Odin even had Elhaym the high priest of Jotunheim assess Thor’s powers. Elhaym predicted that Thor would have power over the skies. Something that pleased Odin greatly. Elhaym also said that Thor has a connection to Yggdrasil like all Jotun do. A sign of his heritage. Odin of course buried this knowledge and never allowed Frigga to train Thor in the art of sedir. He probably feared some Jotun trait might surface if Thor did so. 

The day we celebrated Thor’s first century was when things really took a turn for the worse. Odin again demanded that Laufey give him access to the Casket Laufey refused and they argued. Odin got injured and Laufey broke all ties with Odin and went back. That when things truly soured between Asgard and Jotunheim. Odin started using his Aesir form. He started ostracizing the Jotun and those with Jotun blood, till they either left Asgard or decided to hide.

Odin began speaking of how the Jotun were monsters and how they only want violence and destruction. Laufey had gone to Midgard. What for we don’t know. But Odin used this to claim that he was attacking Midgard and sent forces to attack Jotunheim. What he really wanted was the Casket. It was not easy. The Jotun were not elves or vanir; they could not be subdued so easily. Besides, even Heimdall could not track the Casket; it was so well hidden. 

In the end Odin turned the Bifrost on Jotunheim. The destruction was massive. This is why Utgard is a ruin to this day. He spared Laufey’s life but took the Casket cursing Jotunheim to a slow death. After that we never heard from them till Thor’s coronation. Even I and Ve did not know Loki was Laufey’s son. I….I don’t think he was abandoned, Thor.

Laufey…..he wouldn’t do that. He would not abandon his child. The Jotun have a custom of taking their newborn children to the Casket. It’s...it’s possible that Loki was there in the temple for this purpose. Odin…...Odin must have stolen him….why….I don’t know…..I….”

Thor held a hand up to silence Vili. “Enough. That’s enough. You knew all this all these years and yet you were just going to let me ascend to the throne? Would I have even been able to rule properly? Half my people live in fear, the other half are living a lie. My allies would rather see me die because then they would be free. They are not my allies by choice. They are forced into it. And Jotunheim…….does Queen Farbauti even know Loki was her son? Did anyone bother telling her?”

Ve looked down ashamed, “No. She probably still thinks her child perished in the war…..and…..Laufey died at the hands of his own son….he never knew….”

The council members looked horrified and disgusted at Ve’s admission.

“All these years…….all these years we have labeled the Jotuns as monsters when the truth is…..” Lord Njal couldn’t finish that sentence.

“Just tell me one thing…...did mother even want me?” Thor asked. “If she was forced to marry Odin……”

Vili shook his head, “No Thor. She loved you. The circumstances in which you were born may not have been ideal but Frigga loved you. Please believe that.”

“This changes things…...Your Grace…...I am sorry to say but the crimes Odin has committed take away his right to rule Asgard….If everything Lord Ve and Lord Vili say is true…...we need time…..the council cannot support the house of Odin in the light of these truths.” Lord Sten looked at Thor apologetically.

Thor nodded. “I understand. I…..we all need time. I will…...I am willing to proceed as the council deems fit…..”

Lady Sigrid turned to Vili and Ve. “It is very clear that no member of the Odin’s house can be involved in the investigation as the investigation is against the house of Odin. So for now My Lords you are no longer part of the council. All in favor of the decision say ‘Aye’”

“Aye”

“Aye”

“Aye”

“Aye. The decision is passed. My King I understand that you are as shocked as we are…...we will not remove you from the throne immediately but…...we have to reveal all of this to the people…….what happens then will be in their hands…….I do hope you understand….” Lady Sigrid said

“I think we should call the other rulers to Asgard. There are many gaps that they can help us fill.” Lady Ilvana suggested. “You all should hear their side of these events. Only then can a true decision be made.”

General Tyr assessed the woman in front of him. She had been silent save for the time she admitted to have nudged Thor to find the truth. But Tyr did not blame her. If everything he heard today was true it was a miracle they did not have armies from the other realms on their gates demanding justice. Even now Ilvana kept her head and did not lose focus. 

“I agree” General Tyr nodded. “We must call on the Council of the Nine including Jotunheim. The crimes against Jotunheim run too deep. Queen Farbauti should…..she should be informed of her child’s fate.”

Everyone looked somber at that. To tell a mother that her child had been alive this whole time now when that child was truly dead…..Lady Sigrid hoped Queen Farbauti found some kindness in her heart for Asgard.

“Let us dig deeper in the Archives. There must be some evidence there. Ki-Odin could not have erased everything.” Lord Sten suggested.

Vili stiffened. “Ah. Yes. There are birth records in the Archives that give away our connection to Jotunheim.”

“I also saw records of trade with Jotunheim. I thought them odd at the time. But I suppose it makes sense now.” Thor put in.

Lord Sten nodded, “I think we need to do a census. Track the genealogy of every person on Asgard and make it public knowledge. The people have a right to know and they will. There has long been bias against the other races among our people. They have been inadvertently insulting their own ancestors. It is time to correct this behaviour.”

The other members nodded in agreement. “I shall go with Lady Ravenna and Lady Eir and fetch the documents from the archives. We will reconvene in the morning.” Lord Sten said.

“I and Lady Ilvana will go back to our chambers now. The Council Room is yours to use. I will not step in it till a decision has been made.” Thor stood up.

“I shall send messages to the other rulers and summon them to Asgard. I…..I do not know how to contact Queen Farbauti though. Perhaps I shall take the message to her myself. It is the least we can do”, General Tyr admitted.

“Yes General. It is best to be very polite in our dealing with Jotunheim. They have every right to reject our invitation and pursue blood but we must strive for peace if we can.” Lord Njal agreed.

“Very well then, My Lords and My Ladies I take my leave.” Thor left the room with Ilvana, Vili and Ve at his heels.

“Thor! Wait!”, Ve called out. Thor paused looking at his uncle over his shoulder. “We wanted to tell you the truth Thor. Truly we did. But Odin has shown no hesitation in killing his own children in the past. We did not want to repeat what had happened with Hela. We would have told you once he was dead.” Ve tried to reason.

Thor scoffed. “What good would it have been once he was dead? Mother lived her whole life trapped in a prison of Odin’s making and I could do nothing. She will never see freedom. Not now. Queen Farbauti lived her whole life without her child. Laufey died at the hands of his own child. My sister is labeled a traitor and erased. My grandmother who did nothing is also erased from the books. Loki lived and died believing people would hate him for being Jotun. They deserved better, all of them. It’s not just about hiding the truth. It is about the consequences of hiding the truth. I don’t want to speak to you anymore. Please….please just leave me alone for now.”

Ve looked sad at that but nodded. Thor turned around and made his way to his rooms. Once the doors closed Loki transformed back to his usual form. 

Thor sighed and sat on the bed. “That was exhausting” He was so tired. 

Loki sat beside him, “Yes. I can’t believe Odin kept the mural of Hela right under everyone’s nose. Still…..it’s for the best. It’s very hard to refute her existence when there’s a giant picture of her in the throne room.”

Thor rubbed his face. “Yes. We have to contact everyone before Tyr does. Starting with Farbauti. She has to take care that no one finds New Utgard.”

Loki laid down on the bed, his arms spread. His right hand touched something. Loki frowned. He got up and looked on the bed. It was a memory stone. Curious Loki accessed it. He was flooded with Zaaroc’s memories. Loki blinked, absorbing them.

“Who put that here? I thought you said no one can open the door.” Thor asked.

“No one can open the door. Zaaroc sent this. There has been some development on Midgard. He must have tried to reach us but failed. Mother has very strong shields around New Utgard. Even dream communication cannot be done easily through them”, Loki explained. "Someone from the parasite organization attacked Director Fury in an attempt to kill him. Zaaroc managed to save him. Now they are planning to involve Steve Rogers and fake Fury's death. Zaaroc might need our help."

Thor sighed, "I don't think we will be able to help him. The council has yet to reach a decision. They will launch an investigation. We plan to inform the people of everything. All the other rulers are also coming. In fact I think  **we** might need Zaaroc's help. Tell him about everything that has happened and we'll see if we can help….."

A knock interrupted Thor. "Your Grace the council has summoned you and Lady Ilvana. They say it is urgent." Armod called from the other side.

Loki and Thor looked at each other. That was disturbingly fast. Something was wrong. Loki shifted back to the form of Ilvana. Thor sighed, getting up with effort. He was exhausted. 

He opened the door, "Thank you Armod. Inform the council will be there promptly." Armod bowed and left. 

Loki hurriedly scribbled a note to Zaaroc and sent it through. Thor and Ilvana made their way back to the council room. The council members looked tired. They were sitting at the table which was overflowing scrolls.

"Ah. Your Grace. We apologise for summoning you again. The guards from the dungeons just reported something" Lord Njal said.

"What is it?" Thor asked curiously.

"Your Grace….. Heimdall…..he informed the guards that he wants to confess his crimes….he wants to speak with the council….we believe he saw and heard our conversation before…..we are not sure…..he attacked you…..we thought it best to leave the decision to you" Lady Sigrid explained

Thor and Ilvana looked at each other. Heimdall wanted to share information? There had to be some ulterior motive for this. Another plot against them. They couldn't trust him. But still…... Heimdall's sight was unique and maybe he knew something they didn't. It was better to see what he had to say instead. 

Thor nodded "Very well. Have Heimdall brought from the dungeons. I would like to hear what he has to say" 

TBC….

  
  



	13. Pandora’s Box (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some people should not be given second chances, Freyr is a godsend and Thor and Loki have the worst timing ever.

**In the Dungeons Main Wing, Royal Palace of Asgard**

Heimdall grit his teeth in frustration. He had not expected Thor to react the way he had. In the past Thor had always listened to Heimdall even when he did not listen to his own family. This was frustrating. Heimdall wasn’t worried. He was unique in both his powers and the services he offered. He could not be replaced. Eventually Thor would have to release him. Heimdall wouldn’t stay here forever. He could still see. Yes his sight was damaged but he could see everything going on in the palace save for Thor’s private chambers. Sooner or later someone else was going to plot against Thor. Heimdall will save him with timely advice and Thor would have to release Heimdall from this place.

“Do you think if I ask the guards to bring me something to eat they will listen?” Volstagg questioned.

Heimdall rolled his eyes. Previously prisoners charged with treason were kept in separate cells and were not allowed contact with anyone. But one of the guards informed Heimdall that Thor felt the severe isolation was cruel, so now prisoners were paired together. Heimdall had the misfortune of being stuck with Volstagg who seldom thought of something other than food. At least Sif was not here then all Heimdall would hear was how perfect Thor was.

“We just ate two hours ago, how can you be hungry again so soon?” Heimdall wondered 

“We did eat but it was two whole hours ago and the food here is so bland. It’s like not having eaten at all.” Volstagg complained.

Heimdall and the guard outside their cell both looked at Volstagg in disbelief. 

“We are in prison for treason. We are fortunate to get food at all. Are you really critiquing the quality of prison food?” Heimdall asked

The guard outside scoffed at Heimdall. “His Grace, King Thor is kind. He would never starve a prisoner no matter how great their crime.”

Heimdall narrowed his eyes, “Our crime was not great. In fact it was no crime at all. We were saving Thor. That woman is a nuisance. Her intentions are not right. She needs to be removed from this palace.”

The guard looked offended. “Lady Ilvana is kind and good. She is nothing like how you claim she is. I would know. She teaches sedir to my daughter Mara. I cannot believe you would do something like this Heimdall. I respected you. I looked up to you. I thought you would be happy to see His Grace happy.”

This was the problem. In the people’s eyes Ilvana was a lovely woman with a golden heart. She had been here only a few weeks and yet she had wormed her way in. It was all an act. Heimdall was sure of it. No one was this good or this kind.

“Sedir is a tool for cowards. It would be better for you to teach your daughter to wield a sword.” Volstagg suggested.

The guard looked even more offended. “You forget that Queen Frigga and Prince Loki used sedir extensively. Are you calling them cowards? What nonsense is this! Our people have long used sedir in everything from war to farming. Is this the kind of poison you have been spreading?”

“Loki was no Prince!” Heimdall shouted. “He was a monster. A conniving snake! He got what he deserved!”

All the other guards looked at Heimdall, many with displeasure on their face. The guard outside their cell shook his head. “It is true that Prince Loki liked mischief but he was no monster. Please don’t speak of the dead like this. Whatever his mistakes in life, I hear he died saving King Thor’s life. At the least for that you shouldn’t speak of him like this.”

Heimdall wanted to tell the guard who…..what Loki really was. But that was an ace he was saving for much later. Besides, with the way things were going Thor might put all the blame on Odin for raising Loki without telling him of his heritage. Truth was Odin kept it to himself to prevent the savage Jotun nature from overtaking Loki. Not that it did any good. It just proved that no matter how you raise a dog it will always be a dog.

When Heimdall did not respond, the guard turned his back to the cell resuming his duty. Heimdall huffed. It was no use, he had been observing the people from the Bifrost. A lot of them held sympathy for Loki, especially since Thor had made a point to telling everyone how Loki sacrificed himself for Thor. He had been constantly lamenting about how  **he** was the one who had pushed Loki and that  **he** was the reason for the fissure in their relationship. Thor had even been saying that someone had done some magic on Loki and forced him to attack Midgard. 

All of this led to the people shifting their view of Loki. With Odin in Odinsleep, there was no one to set it straight and now even the bloody warriors were beginning to sympathize with Loki. Heimdall had seen Herlief the chief trainer express his regret of the way he had treated Loki to Ragnar, another instructor who had not gotten along well with Loki when he had been alive. 

And that bloody woman from Vanaheim was adding fuel to the fire. It was all Fandral’s fault. If he had supported them then Ilvana would be gone and everything would be as it was supposed to be. Heimdall sat back down on his bed, ignoring Volstagg’s protests that Loki had never been good. He turned his sight to the palace, there appeared to be some commotion among the guards. Heimdall tried to look for Thor and Ilvana but they were nowhere to be seen. Of course if they were in Thor’s room then it was another matter.

But that was not the case. Heimdall saw a guard fetch Tyr and the other council members gathering in a room. Heimdall tried to focus his sight to see what was so special about this room but his eyes teared and he couldn’t see. Unknown to Heimdall the gold color of his eyes flickered to brown briefly. Volstagg saw this and frowned but did not say anything. Heimdall tried to follow the council members with his sight but his eyes hurt and he had to let go of them.

Heimdall sighed. He didn’t get it. Had someone cast a spell on him? No. Heimdall would have noticed it if that had been the case. His sight had been unreliable since Loki attacked him with the Casket of Ancient Winters. It was slow enough that Heimdall did not notice it at first. But now, now he could only briefly use his sight before it became painful. Perhaps Loki had cast some dark spell on Heimdall. He was known to not shy from obscure magic.

With nothing better to do, Heimdall laid down on his bed and closed his eyes. He slept fitfully. Memories of his childhood plaguing him. He had been happy with his mother and father living in the country till Angrboda suggested he be tutored at the palace. Heimdall had been taken from his parents and he never saw them again. Later Odin told him that some Jotun had killed them citing their union as unholy. Heimdall had hated the Jotun since then. They were monsters. He would kill them all if he could.

After a few hours of fitful sleep Heimdall gave up. He sat up in his bed. Volstagg was fast asleep, snoring. The guards had changed shifts. Heimdall once again turned his sight to the palace. He saw Thor in the throne room with the other council members. He was yelling at Vili and Ve. He was wearing a strange fur trimmed cape that Heimdall couldn’t recall. There were sparks in Thor’s eyes. He was losing control of his powers. Before Heimdall’s eyes a bolt of lightning hit the ceiling of the throne room causing the mural there to break.

It cracked like an egg and fell revealing the old mural underneath. Heimdall shook his head. Wonderful. He had advised Odin to get rid of it. It was a big sparkling evidence of Hela’s existence but Odin hadn’t listened. Heimdall’s eyes burned but he persevered. He saw as Vili and Ve broke down and babbled everything to Thor. He saw as the council decided to launch an investigation and removed Vili and Ve from the council. He saw Thor bow to the council’s demands when he should have told them to back off.

Heimdall closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was all wrong! Hela had been rightly killed. She had been a monster. Blood thirsty and greedy. Heimdall couldn’t afford to stay here any longer. He had to get out. He had to wake Odin anyhow. Only Odin could set all of this right. The news of Hela had not yet left the palace. This was Heimdall’s chance. He had to act now and make sure it stayed that way.

Heimdall walked to the edge of his cell. This guard was easier to talk to than the last one. “You. Can you please convey a message to the council? It is urgent. Please…..”

The guard looked reluctant but then nodded. Heimdall smiled slightly. “Tell the council I wish to confess my crimes and would like an audience with them.”

The guard frowned. Probably wondering why Heimdall suddenly wanted to ‘confess’ but then nodded and left to report it to the council. Heimdall sat back down on his bed. He had to be careful. He had only one shot. Heimdall still felt that Ilvana was the cause of all this. He did not know many spells but he knew one to reveal true forms. That woman was hiding something. Heimdall will use the spell on her and then everyone will see her truth.

Thor will come to his senses and free Heimdall and he can work on waking Odin and ensuring that Asgard did not succeed in forging ties with Jotunheim. Ever. Heimdall smirked. Ilvana might think she had outsmarted Heimdall but she hadn’t. Not yet.

**The Council Room, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

“I have already sent out messages to the rulers save for Queen Farbauti.” General Tyr informed Thor as they waited for Heimdall to be brought from the dungeons. “We expect a response once the sun is fully up. All the rulers should be here by nightfall.”

Thor nodded. “I will go to Queen Farbauti and personally invite her. It is the least we can do. I don’t think we have a way of sending letters to her.”

Tyr nodded. A guard came in at that moment, carrying a letter. “Your Grace. This came through just now from Alfheim”

The guard handed the letter to Thor who read it. “It would seem Uncle Freyr wishes to come right now. He requests we open the Bifrost for him.”

General Tyr blinked surprised. “Huh. I did not expect that. Very well. I shall operate the Bifrost and bring King Freyr through.”

Tyr left with the guard for the Bifrost. Thor folded the letter and placed it back on the table, picking a random scroll and looking at it. The other council members were busy reading scrolls and making notes. Ilvana sat beside Thor, also reading a scroll. Thor could feel her anxiety through the bond.

After some time another guard came in. “My King, I have brought Heimdall from the dungeons.”

The council members straightened, setting their work aside. Thor nodded to the guard. “Let him in”

Heimdall was brought in, cuffs on his wrists to prevent him from doing anything. 

Thor looked at him, one eyebrow raised. “Heimdall. I hear you wish to confess your crimes. Let’s have it then. Confess”

Heimdall had his jaw clenched. “I see you have made an interesting discovery. I saw it through my cell. I see the cloak you are wearing. It was not long ago that you would have shunned anything Jotun”

Thor rolled his eyes. “If all you have to confess is admitting your undue hatred for the Jotun, then you can leave. As you can see I have important things to do.”

Heimdall took a step forward, stopping only when the guards pointed their weapons at him in warning. “It is no use digging old graves, Thor. The jotun are monsters. Any association with them will only bring pain and suffering. They cannot be trusted.”

Lady Sigrid huffed. “What is and isn’t worth digging into is for the council to decide not you Heimdall. Do not forget, you are stripped of your titles and authority. You cannot make such a demand of the council”

“Even if you still had any authority, it wouldn’t mean you would be able to demand we stop this investigation.” Lord Njal pointed out.

Heimdall looked at Thor. “Are just going to let them speak for you? Are you not King? Will you just let the council do as they please?”

“Yes.” Thor said in a tone that was infuriatingly like Loki’s. Beside him Ilvana smirked and for a moment. Just one, it reminded Heimdall of Loki. Heimdall blinked. It was one thing for Thor to occasionally emulate Loki. They had known each other for centuries. It was another matter for someone from Vanaheim to resemble him so much.

No…….it couldn’t be…..Heimdall had seen Loki die with his own eyes. He had seen Thor bury Loki. Heimdall had watched his grave for weeks for any suspicious activity. Loki was dead. He was supposed to be dead. Heimdall stepped forward. He ignored the warnings of the guards and the council members. 

Just as the guards moved to shove Heimdall back, he cast the spell he had planned on Ilvana. She screamed and Thor screamed with her as if he had felt it too. The guards shoved Heimdall back, breaking his nose. But it was too late, the spell was cast. Ilvana screamed in pain and her form became hazy blurring at the edges. Thor was covering his eyes in pain. At that moment the door opened and General Tyr walked in with King Freyr.

They both stopped taking in the scene before them. Freyr immediately rushed to Ilvana and Thor. General Tyr slapped Heimdall, having put two and two together. “TAKE THIS MAN AWAY. SEAL HIM IN THE DEEPEST CORNER OF THE DUNGEON AND  **DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE LET HIM OUT!!!** ” Tyr ordered the guards.

The guards hurried to obey, pulling Heimdall who was yelling at the council, “You will pay!!!! You will all pay for this!!!! You blind idiots!!! Don’t you see what is in front of you!!!” 

Ilvana and Thor had stopped screaming but were still in pain. Freyr was doing some spell that seemed to help them. Though not much

The door shut and General Tyr turned to the council. “What happened?”

“What happened is that we never should have listened to Heimdall” Lord Sten sighed.

“We don’t have time for this! Clear the room! Give me space!” Freyr said urgently.

The council members stood up immediately, clearing the table. “What is it, King Freyr? It looked like some spell. I had no idea Heimdall could even do that” Lord Njal said.

Freyr struggled with whatever he was attempting to do. “It was a spell to reveal the true form of the person on which it is cast. I will explain later. Clear this room. Thor and Ilvana’s power is out of control. It reacted badly with the spell. They cannot keep hold of it much longer. I can’t either. There will be a discharge of sedir. You might not be able to handle it. Leave now!”

Freyr turned to Ilvana, “Easy child. Let it go. Just let it go. Trying to hold on will only cause pain. It’s alright, I’m here. It will be alright.”

Ilvana shook her head, tears streaming from her closed eyes. Her form was blurring again. Get fuzzy around the edges. Thor reached for her blindly, sparks leaving his hand. “Freyr is right. It’s alright. We’re here for you. Let it go.”

The council members looked at each other confused. But they backed away. They had already seen Thor’s lightning go out of control once. A combination of his power with Ilvana’s was not something they wanted to witness. Freyr backed away too. He waved a hand clearing the table and storing all the scrolls and papers in a pocket dimension. Then he cast a shield around the room capturing Thor and Ilvana in it. 

Freyr glared at the council, prompting them to reluctantly open the door and leave the room. Once they filed out and the door closed behind them, there was a blast in the room. It felt like someone had shaken Asgard’s core. The entire door of the council room was covered in ice, spreading to the walls like a spiderweb. The temperature in the atmosphere dropped and there were loud rumblings of thunder. The council members looked at the sky which was suddenly covered in thick black clouds and pouring rain.

Freyr sighed. Heimdall had ruined everything. All the guards in the palace came rushing to the council room, having heard the blast. One of them touched the handle of the council room’s door but the ice was so cold his hand burned. 

After a few seconds the ice cracked and the door opened from inside. It was Thor. His eyes were white with lightning and there were sparks all over his body. The cold didn’t hurt him of course. Freyr noted that he could see some faint blue markings on Thor’s hands and around his eyes. It seems the spell to reveal true form had affected Thor through his bond and brought out some Jotun traits.

Freyr shook his head. What horrible timing! Thor stepped forward and the guards flinched back, clearly afraid of the lightning. Thor paused. He looked at the sky and frowned.

Freyr followed his gaze. “I’m afraid that was you. You have to calm down, Thor. Only then will your powers obey you.” Freyr instructed.

Thor looked like he only vaguely heard Freyr but he closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them, they were back to normal. In response, the rain suddenly stopped and the clouds suddenly dispersed as if they had never been there. The abrupt change in weather was disturbing but Freyr ignored it.

Seeing that the danger had passed for the moment, the council members finally stepped forward.

“Your Grace? Are you alright?” Lord Sten asked, looking uncertain.

Thor tilted his head, clearly still not in the present completely. Immense discharges of sedir did that. Mages got so lost in their own power that they couldn’t distinguish themselves from their sedir. Freyr had even heard of a few cases where such mages had to be killed because they could no longer control their powers at all and had become a threat to others. Freyr really hoped Thor wasn’t like that.

Thor tilted his head towards the room like he heard something, then blinked, looking more aware. “Uh….I…..um…..yes…...I…...I think I am fine, Lord Sten”

Thor rubbed his eyes. He turned to the confused and probably still scared guards. “Return to your posts. It was nothing. Just a momentary lapse in control on my part. There is no threat here.”

The guards looked confused and reluctant to leave but did so anyways. The council members kept their distance. But Freyr stepped forward. “It seems your sedir tried to counteract Heimdall’s spell, but overdid it. Is Ilvana alright….?”

Thor stiffened. He turned to the council members. “I am going to show you all something. But you have to promise you will listen before reacting.”

The council members looked confused but nodded. “What is it My King?” Lady Sigrid asked.

Thor sighed. “It is best if I show you. Come. It’s alright, the ice won’t hurt anymore. He’s unconscious now.”

Thor went into the room, the council members following him, perplexed at what he meant. In the room, the table and chairs had turned to dust from Thor’s lightning, Freyr assumed. The whole room was covered floor to ceiling in ice. Freyr noted that his shield had tried to minimize the damage but hadn’t succeeded completely. He should have expected that though.

The council members all gasped in shock. In the middle of the room lay Loki eyes closed, skin blue, hands folded over his stomach, the center of the massive explosion of ice.

TBC…..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you wondering, Vili and Ve have their own houses which are nearby the palace but not so close that they would have heard the blast. Of course the weird weather was seen and noticed by majority of Asgard


	14. Stark Tower (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony, Stephen and fashion faux pas.....

**Dr. Stark’s Penthouse, Stark Tower, New York.**

Bruce watched from his perch on the armchair as Tony threw another t-shirt on the bed, rejecting it as well. There was a pile on the bed now. They had been here for two hours already.

“So……” Jane piped up from beside him, sitting on an identical armchair. “Why are we doing this again?”

Tony tutted at her, “I told you. We have to prove to McDreamy that I am the pinnacle of fashion. Nobody insults me and gets away with it"

Tony looked at another t-shirt and frowned. He threw this one on the bed as well, frustrated. Then the light bulb went off in his head. Tony rushed into his walk-in closet and shut the door with a bang. Jane and Bruce looked at each other confused. They had no idea who Tony had met but it had clearly left an impression on his mind. When he had come back he'd been less upset over Pepper and more upset about some doctor not recognizing him and insulting his fashion sense to top it off. Now here they were a few days later, Tony had decided to show the doc who was boss. His words not theirs. 

Tony came out of the closet, wearing a three piece grey color suit, holding a pair of sunglasses. "Well what do you think?" He asked spreading his arms and turning to show the suit off

Bruce sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Tony, you're going to a coffee shop not a board meeting. Are you seriously going to wear that?! It will take 2 seconds for anyone to recognize you. I thought the point was to show you have a good fashion sense not get mobbed while trying to get coffee."

Tony deflated, looking like a sad puppy. "But Brucie bear this is my best suit! I'll wear sunglasses! It should take people some time to recognize me with them right?"

Jane shook her head, "Nope. Those just make it more obvious it's you. You're kinda known for the whole suit and sunglasses look….”

Tony huffed “You’re both no fun! Fine! I’ll ask JARVIS! Hey J what do you think? McDreamy will be blown away right?”

“Yes Sir. I am sure Dr. Strange has never seen someone wear a suit just to go out and buy coffee before.” JARVIS spoke over the speakers sarcastically. “He will certainly be blown away.”

Tony spluttered, glaring at JARVIS’ cameras. “Traitor! You’re a traitor J!”

Tony stomped back in his closet shutting the door with a bang. Jane turned to Bruce. “Wanna bet Dr. Strange doesn’t even remember the meeting?”

Bruce tapped his chin in thought. “Ten bucks says he remembers but is as unimpressed as he was last time. JARVIS can be our ears. What do you say JARVIS? Wait….JARVIS how do you even know it is Dr. Strange. I’ve heard that name. He is a famous neurosurgeon right?”

“I shall provide updates Dr. Banner.” JARVIS responded. “I had access to the security cameras in the coffee shop and ran facial recognition to verify Dr. Strange’s identity. I usually monitor people who come in contact with Sir when he is alone”

Jane shook her head. “You kinda worry me sometimes J. Just give a warning if you ever decide to go Skynet on us ok?”

“I will do so Dr. Foster.” There was a static that Jane had come to associate with JARVIS expressing amusement. 

Jane and Bruce shook hands sealing the deal. Tony came out this time wearing jeans and a t-shirt with a jacket. He refused to give up on the sunglasses. But this was better than a whole three piece suit combo. Tony was pouting though.

“I looked fabulous…..but fine I guess we’ll settle for this…..” He crossed his arms in an attempt to look angry but really it didn’t work.

Jane clapped her hands. “Cool! So….can we like go now….? We have work to do….”

Tony put a hand on his chest looking shaken, “Are you trying to say I don’t work?!!! I’m heartbroken!!”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “You are skipping a meeting to prove a pointless point to a random guy you ran into in a coffee shop right now. So…”

Tony shushed Bruce. “Shhh!! Don’t let JARVIS hear you! He’ll snitch on me again. Besides, meetings are boring. I sent a video of me giving the presentation I was supposed to actually give in the meeting. Same thing right?”

Jane was going to point out that it was not in fact the same thing but Tony was already grabbing a random car key and walking out the door. 

“See you later once I have crushed McDreamy! J will send a video!” Tony called out, shutting the door behind him as he left.

Jane and Bruce looked at each other. “He’s totally going to get buried instead isn’t he?”, Jane asked

“Yeaaaaaah. His t-shirt still has the price tag on so…...J don’t forget that video.” Bruce said. 

“Of course Dr. Banner. Lab 17 is empty if you and Dr. Foster wish to do research.” JARVIS reported.

“Thanks J. You’re the best. Come on Bruce. I want to show you these readings I took during the Convergence” Jane and Bruce went to the Labs and spent the rest of the day in research.

**Frission Espresso, New York.**

Tony went into the cafe and ordered his favorite coffee and picked a seat in the corner from where he could see the door. It was around four and Dr. Strange often came around at this time for a cup of coffee either alone or with Dr. Palmer. Ok….so maybe Tony had done some cyber stalking…...but in his defense the last time someone had failed to recognize him it had been an old lady who had a nice little flower shop in Bolzano, Italy. But that place was remote, surrounded by mountains and the lady had been nearing 95. Dr. Strange on the other hand practically lived under Tony’s nose. How could he not recognize Tony?!!

Tony huffed and sipped his coffee. Like clockwork the door of the cafe opened and Dr. Stephen Strange stepped in wearing navy blue scrubs, tapping at his phone. He placed his own order and took it barely looking up from his phone and made his way over. Tony knew he always sat in this corner, at least from the CCTV footage. Tony straightened up and sat in the best posture he could.

“If this is an attempt at making a better impression it is wasted……...I hope you’ve heard what people say about first impressions, Dr. Stark.” Stephen sat down on the empty chair opposite Tony barely glancing up from his phone.

Tony spluttered. “You….how did you….You know what screw you!” 

“Not now. I have to operate on a guy in an hour and I prefer to hold out till the third date.” Stephen smirked at Tony. 

Tony gaped. Not only was Stephen not at all affected by Tony’s presence but he was actually flirting back. Friendly flirting! It had been a long time since that had happened. 

“Whatcha reading?” Tony tried to peer at Stephen’s phone but that tall bastard simply stretched his hand up and away from Tony.

“X-rays. I just said I have to operate on a guy. All the tabloids said you have excellent memory. Or is it one of those things paparazzi exaggerates to get more sales?” Stephen challenged. 

Tony narrowed his eyes at Stephen through his glasses. “I do have excellent memory thank you very much. Why hide?”

“Patient-doctor confidentiality. I prefer to follow the rules. Is there anything I can help you with Dr. Stark? If you want an appointment I can give you my business card. Book one. I am very busy”

“Touchy touchy.” Tony remarked. “I thought since you were probably not going to run into me anytime soon, so I’d help you and come here myself and you can apologize”

Stephen looked up from his phone, confused, “Why would I apologize? We established that you were the one who ran into me.”

“Not about that” Tony waved a hand dismissively “After that. You know the part where you insult my totally awesome sense of fashion? Go on, I am waiting…..”

Stephen raised one eyebrow. “I don’t see what I should apologize for…..I was right. That getup was atrocious.”

Tony clenched his fist. “Yeah ok…..maybe…..but this one’s nice isn’t it? Admit it you shouldn’t have judged me based on that one outfit.”

Stephen put his phone down and tapped his chin in thought, looking at Tony, “Nope. The jacket’s fine but the science pun is too much. What are you twelve?”

“I am a scientist! Who else is going to wear t-shirts with science puns! It’s rich coming from a guy who only wears scrubs!” Tony pointed out

Stephen rolled his eyes, “I am wearing scrubs because I am working. What’s your excuse? Now if you will excuse me I like to be focused before a surgery and it’s clearly not possible with you around so…..goodbye. See you…...never. Get over it Dr. Stark”

Stephen got up taking his coffee with him to presumably sit somewhere else. Tony picked his own cup and followed him, sitting down in front of Stephen.

“Fine! We can let it go. But come on give me some details here….what’s the surgery about? Are you going to remove a part of someone’s brain? No…..wouldn’t need an X-ray for that would you? No wait…..brain is surrounded by bone so you would….” Tony stopped as Stephen interrupted him.

“Dr. Stark…..how about…..we just drink our coffee and you let me worry about whether or not an X-ray is needed for brain surgery……..yes?” Stephen asked.

Tony pouted. “You’re boring. Can’t talk about fashion, can’t talk about X-rays. Is this why your lady friend from the other day ditched you?”

Stephen narrowed his eyes, “Christine didn’t ditch me. Like I said I like to concentrate before a big surgery. Something this conversation is not allowing me to do. You know what…..that’s fine.  **I’ll** leave. Have a good day Dr. Stark. And stop stalking people you run into at the coffee shop. It’s creepy. Also next time remove the tags before wearing the shirt.” 

Stephen didn’t wait for Tony to respond, leaving the coffee shop, abandoning his coffee. Tony frowned after Stephen, reaching behind and indeed finding the tag still on the t-shirt he was wearing. Dammit! Tony quickly finished his coffee and left. In the car he tapped at his phone, checking his emails.

“Hey J why didn’t you tell me the tags on my t-shirt were still on?” Tony accused 

“I apologize, Sir. You switched clothes so many times. I lost track” JARVIS said sarcastically from the phone.

“Liar. Now how am I supposed to prove I have a good fashion sense?” Tony deleted some emails randomly. “Wait…...do I have any events that coincide with the kind of events Dr. Strange would go to?”

“Sir I don’t think pursuing this……... is ideal” JARVIS tried to reason.

Tony frowned. “Why not? Ok so maybe it was a rough start what with criticizing my fashion sense and not recognizing me. I mean who does that? But still this meeting went better than last time! Even if McDreamy did get up and leave midway…...and called me a stalker…..not entirely untrue…...I just want to make a point. Ok?”

JARVIS paused for a moment then asked, “Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital is having their Annual Fundraiser next week. The guest list includes Dr. Strange. There was an invite from them that I received yesterday. Shall I send a positive response?” 

“Yup. Oh and book an appointment with Pierre. I want to dress to impress” Tony drove back home. 

**Dr. Stark’s Penthouse, Stark Tower, New York.**

Tony sighed and sat down on the sofa. After his sort of coffee date he came back and joined Bruce and Jane in the labs. There had strangely been no messages or emails from Pepper. Slightly worrying but not entirely unexpected. Maybe Tony should get her some flowers.

Tony was about to ask JARVIS if there was a flower shop nearby when the elevator dinged and Pepper stepped out in a business suit clearly exhausted.

“Hey Pep! I was just thinking about you! How’d the meeting with the boring old people go? Boring right? I’m going to assume it was boring” Tony got up and decided to pour Pepper some wine.

Pepper sighed. “Tony. So where were you? Let me guess….hmm…...was it in the lab with Bruce and Jane. I’m going to assume you discovered an atom and were so fascinated you didn’t realize when time flew by”

Tony put the bottle of wine on the counter. “Pep…..I know there was a meeting. I just had something else to do. Besides I did send that video didn’t I? It was very detailed. This was just the initial meet right? We’ll have other meetings with this client. I’ll show up then. It’s fine.”

“No it’s not fine!” Pepper yelled. “You’re supposed to be there! Sending a video does not make up for your absence. You have to show up physically. What were you doing that was so important anyways?”

“Uh….I just…..you know what nevermind. My bad. Sorry. I’ll show up next time.” Tony poured the wine and brought the glass to Pepper. “Wine?”

Pepper took the glass from him. “Fine whatever. We have a meeting with them next week. Are you available on Friday?”

That was the day of the fundraiser at the hospital. Tony hesitated. “Um…..no. Actually I might not be free. At what time is the meeting? I have to go to a fundraiser at a hospital……”

Pepper put her glass down, “Fundraiser? I don’t remember us getting any invite for a fundraiser. What is it for?”

“The fundraiser to help raise money for children with cancer coming from financially weak backgrounds, Miss Potts. The invitation was sent only in Sir’s name. There will be a silent auction followed by dinner and dancing.” JARVIS spoke up.

Pepper frowned. “Oh. Um…...sure. Going to the fundraiser is a nice idea Tony. Uh…..I guess I can reschedule the meeting to a later date or maybe an earlier date?”

“Yup. Put it down for Thursday and if you want you can come with me to the fundraiser. I’ll talk to the organizers. I doubt they will mind if you come too.” Tony picked up his tablet to go through some of the ideas the team at R&D had submitted. 

Pepper sipped her wine. “Yeah. Sure. I….yeah…..I’d love to come actually.”

“Done then. J call up the organizers and have them add Pep as my plus one.” Tony looked at a diagram for a CAT scan machine with improved accuracy.

“Sending a request to the organizers now. Shall I order something for dinner Sir?” JARVIS asked.

“Yes! I am starving! Order some pizza JARVIS. I think I’m in the mood for some comfort food.” Pepper let her hair loose from the tight ponytail she’d had all day and left to go freshen up before pizza arrived.

Looking at the CAT scan machine diagram gave Tony an idea about something else. “Hey J remember those records we have of Loki? From SHIELD’s servers? Did they include an EEG for Loki’s brain waves? I mean SHIELD evaluated everything they could right? Did they ever do that?”

“Accessing archived records. Yes Sir. SHIELD did do an EEG and documented Mr. Odinson’s brain activity. Shall I display it?” JARVIS reported.

“No. Just...hold on to them. Store them on my private server. I…...I think…...I think I know how we can prove Loki was mind controlled. But I have to ask Thor something. Let me just….” Tony stood up looking around.

Aha! Tony fetched the notepad Thor’s other brother had given to him. He hadn’t used it yet. Now was the perfect time though. Tony pulled out a page and wrote a quick letter to Thor.

_ ‘Hey Thor, _

_ Not sure how this works. But I had an idea about how we can prove Loki was mind controlled. On earth we have this test that allows people to detect electrical activity in a person’s brain. In simple terms it can help check a person’s brain waves. I’m not sure you understood that.  _

_ Let me put it this way. Is there any way we can get a look at how Loki’s brain normally functioned? I mean in the form of a picture. Like a graph. With lines going up and down. Just….just tell me if Asgard has a way of determining if a person has a head injury. Do you have some machine that can help look at a person’s internal organs? Yeah. Let’s go with this. Just tell me if you have a machine to look at a person’s brain and if it’s possible you have previously used it to check Loki’s brain. We’ll figure it out from there. _

_ Tony.’ _

Tony put the letter in the box and closed the lid. “J scan this thing and store the readings. I'll look at them later.”

“Done Sir. The energy signature matches previous signatures taken from our visit to Mr. Odinson in London.” JARVIS reported.

Tony opened the box again, his letter was gone. It was intriguing how this magic thing worked. Tony wondered if he was ever going to manage getting some solid explanation for it.

Pepper came back at that moment and looked at the notepad and the box, curious. “Tony? What’s this? Where did you get this? Oh this craftsmanship is exquisite!” Pepper ran her hand over the markings on the box.

“Yeah…..it’s something Thor gave to me when I went to visit him in London a few weeks back. It’s a way to send letters to him. You know in case there’s an emergency and we need his help or something.” Tony explained.

Pepper looked fascinated. “How does it work? How do you know the letter will reach Thor? How does the box know where Thor even is?”

Tony shrugged, “Honestly I don’t know. It’s got something to do with magic. Though I’m sure that’s just very advanced science. For now I think it teleports the letter to Thor. Which is all kinds of cool. I assume the delivery is immediate but I can’t be sure.”

Pepper nodded “I didn’t know you and Thor formed such a good friendship that you’re exchanging letters now.”

Tony shook his head, “No it’s not like that. I mean sure Thor is a friend. I wouldn’t call him a close friend though. I was just helping him understand how our laws work. He’s convinced someone mind controlled Loki into attacking New York. I cross checked his theory and you know what? Loki’s eye color before and after the battle was completely different. Loki's eyes were this glowing blue before the battle and then later they were green. J show Pepper the shots we captured from the penthouse footage. Oh and also the one from SHIELD”

JARVIS displayed images of Loki from SHIELD and the penthouse cameras, focusing on his eyes. Pepper squinted at them. “Damn. His eyes really did change color. This...this is huge isn’t it? I mean…..this changes everything doesn’t it?”

Tony nodded, “Yeah it does. It means that maybe, possibly Thor’s theory is right. And if Thor’s theory is right then Loki is not the one who orchestrated the attack on New York. He was just a pawn. There’s someone else out there probably still alive who is behind everything. We don’t even have a name. How are we supposed to prepare for this?”

Pepper bit her lip. “Why…..why doesn’t Thor just ask Loki? I mean we could ask Loki and hear his side of things…..”

Tony sighed. “It’s too late Pep. Loki’s already dead. Thor said he died protecting him a few months back when that wacko attacked London. He and all the information he knew is gone. We are flying dark now.”

Pepper felt bad now. This was probably why Tony had been burning the midnight lamp, researching. He was worried. Pepper shuddered as she recalled the horror of watching New York being decimated by aliens. She never ever wanted to see that again. Pepper realized she was being a little harsh with Tony. He had PTSD and this news Thor dumped on him probably didn’t help. Tony should have told her. But if Pepper was being honest she hadn’t given Tony a lot of incentive to be open with her these past months what with the constant glares and judgmental comments. She hadn’t exactly been a supportive girlfriend. 

“Tony….I…” The elevator dinged, cutting Pepper off. It was Martha. She had brought the pizza. Martha set the pizza on the center table along with some soda. 

Tony perked up, “Thanks Martha! Ooh pepperoni, my favorite!” Tony picked up a slice stuffing it in his mouth.

Pepper shook her head fondly, picking out a slice for herself. She would talk to Tony later. She had some making up to do.

**A Week Later, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, New York.**

Tony wore a dark grey three piece suit with some transparent shades and walked arm in arm with Pepper into Jennifer’s Garden where the fundraiser for Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital was supposed to take place. There were people milling about along with some staff. Tony scanned the crowd for Dr. Strange but he wasn’t here yet.

The main organizer Dr. Mark Kijek walked up to them, “Mr. Stark, Miss Potts, welcome. Please have a seat we are about to begin the silent auction. Dinner is at 7 p.m. followed by music and dancing. This way please.”

Dr. Kijek directed Tony to their table shared with some other people. None of which Tony cared about. He looked around again. No sign of Dr. Strange. Tony focused back on the ongoing auction. There were few items like jewelry and art that Pepper was interested in which they bought. Tony looked for Dr. Strange and then looked at the designs for his new armor that he had been planning on his phone. Nodding and smiling here and there on auto pilot.

The auction was uneventful, the dinner that followed was dull. Finally the time came for dancing and music. Tony made his way to the bar that was finally open and ordered a cocktail. Despite Pepper’s belief he was trying.

“I must say I haven’t met a stalker this persistent in a while” A deep baritone voice said from behind.

Tony looked over his shoulder. It was Dr. Strange in a deep maroon suit with a matching tie. Tony smirked. “What can I say? You left our conversation hanging at the coffee shop. And I’m not stalking you, I was invited.”

Stephen raised one eyebrow. “Statistically speaking Dr. Stark you have been seen at hospital fundraisers less than 1% of the time compared to your other outings. And the third time is too much of a coincidence. Even you cannot pull it off”

The bartender placed Tony’s cocktail in front of him. If Stephen was surprised by its non-alcoholic nature he didn’t show it. “I gotta say this isn’t all that bad. I didn’t understand half the words people spoke to me but still it’s nice.”

Stephen shrugged. “They’re dull. Your stalking skills are rusty. I usually send my assistant for the auction. I show up only for the music and the dancing”

“Something to keep in mind for the future then” Tony commented. “If you’re here for the dancing then why’re you hanging out with your stalker. Your lady friend ditch you again?”

“No she ran away with your girlfriend.” Stephen motioned to a corner where Pepper was talking with Dr. Palmer. 

Tony blinked. Now that was one hell of a coincidence. “Huh. Well how about that. Couldn’t find anyone as interesting as me could you? Seeing as you approached me this time.”

Stephen looked Tony up and down. “Hardly. This party is boring. I just came to show my face. I was leaving actually. I came over to tell you that your socks don’t match. So much for having a good fashion sense.” 

Tony spluttered looking down at his socks. Stephen smirked turning on his heels and leaving before Tony could defend himself. Tony pouted, almost stamping his feet in frustration. How on earth did this keep happening!

TBC…...


	15. The Monster Within (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of dead German scientists who are not so dead.

**SHIELD HQ, Washington DC.**

Jonathan sighed in frustration. After a very tense car ride, he had been ‘reassigned’ to the tech department. Steve had gone to talk to Pierce. Jonathan was worried. The letter Loki sent through was troubling in itself. Things were heating up on both sides and Zaaroc’s loyalty lay with his brothers first. But things were bad here too. He wasn’t sure what the parasite in SHIELD was up to, but it was not good. Project Insight, the attempt on Fury’s life, they were all an indication that the parasite was ready to break free of SHIELD and when that happened a lot of people were going to perish. Zaaroc wanted to avoid that but he was not sure he could.

Project Insight was supposed to be on hold but Zaaroc could see a part of SHIELD still preparing for it as if it was on schedule. That meant Pierce was definitely part of the problem. He must have ordered his people to proceed as planned for Project Insight. He was probably going to accuse Fury of selling intel and use it as a launchpad to get approval for Project Insight from the World Security Council. But there was still one person who could give Zaaroc some solid information. Jasper Sitwell. 

Zaaroc logged into the computer assigned to him and used its connection to the server to pull Sitwell’s personal data including his phone number. Zaaroc could do this the old fashioned way and track the cell to Sitwell. He shut down his computer. His time here was limited. It was time to ditch the ruse and dive into this head first.

**Secretary Pierce’s Office , SHIELD HQ, Washington DC**

Steve turned the corner and saw Kate talking to Pierce outside his office. They stopped when they saw him and Kate left. “Captain Rogers” 

“Neighbour” Steve responded. He was still upset that Fury had sent an agent to watch over him like he was some child.

Pierce held out his hand for Steve to shake. “Ah. Captain. I’m Alexander Pierce.”

Steve shook his hand, “Sir. It’s an honour”

Pierce smiled. “The honour’s mine Captain. My father served in the 101st. Come on in.”

Steve went in. Pierce handed him a photo. “That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met, when I was at the State Department in Bogota.” Pierce explained. “E.L.N rebels took the embassy, and security got me out but the rebels took hostages. Nick was Deputy Chief of the SHIELD station there, and he comes to me with a plan. He wants to storm the buildings through the sewers. I said, “No, we’ll negotiate. Turns out the E.L.N didn’t negotiate so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement and what do they find? They find it empty.”

Pierce sat down with a bunch of files. Steve followed him. Pierce shook his head fondly. “Nick had ignored my direct order, and carried out an unauthorized military operation on foreign soil, and saved the lives of a dozen political officers including my daughter.”

“So you gave him a promotion.” Steve pointed out. 

Pierce nodded, “I’ve never had any cause to regret it. Captain…..why was Nick in your apartment last night?”

For a moment Steve wanted to tell the truth but this whole meeting felt off. “I don’t know.”

“Did you know it was bugged?” Pierce asked. 

“I did” Steve answered. “Because Nick told me.”

“Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it?” Pierce challenged.

Steve tried to control his expression. He hadn’t known that. Pierce looked at him for a moment then pressed a button on the device on the table. The monitor in front of them lit up. It displayed Batroc on the screen.

“Is that live?” Steve asked.

“Yes. We caught him last night in a not so safe house in Algiers.” Pierce said.

“Are you saying he’s a suspect? Assasination isn’t Batroc’s line.” Steve was so confused right now.

“No. It’s more complicated than that. Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star. And he was contacted through email and paid by wire transfer and then the money was run through 17 fictitious accounts. The last one going to a holding company, registered to a Jacob Veech.” Pierce handed over some documents to Steve. 

“Am I supposed to know who that is?” Steve looked at the documents.

“Not likely. Veech died six years ago.” Pierce explained. “His last address was 1435 Elmhurst Drive. When I first met Nick his mother lived in 1437.”

Steve looked up. “Are you saying Fury hired the pirates? Why?”

Pierce shrugged, “The prevailing theory? The hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence. The sale went sour and that led to Nick’s death.”

Steve thought about it. No. No this wasn’t….couldn’t be Fury. “If you knew Nick Fury, you’d know that’s not true.”

Pierce nodded. “Why do you think we’re talking? 

Pierce got up and went to his desk. “See I took a seat at the Council not because I wanted to but because Nick asked me to, because we were both realists.” 

Pierce leaned against the window behind his desk. “We knew that despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking and the rhetoric, to build a really better world, sometimes means having to tear the old one down.” 

Pierce turned to Steve. “And that makes enemies. Those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in the mud and try to build and try to build something better. And the idea that those people could be happy today makes me really really angry.”

Pierce paused. “Captain, you were the last one to see Nick alive. I don’t think that was an accident. And I don’t think you do either. So I am gonna ask again. Why was he there?”

Steve paused. Pierce wasn’t going to let this go till Steve gave him something. “He told me not to trust anyone.” There that was something and it was generic. 

“I wonder if that included him,” Pierce said.

“I’m sorry” Steve was done here. He wanted to leave. “Those were his last words. Excuse me.”

Steve picked up his shield and turned to leave. “Captain!” Pierce called out. Steve turned half way out the room

“Somebody murdered my friend and I’m going to find out why. Anyone gets in my way they’re gonna regret it. Anyone” Pierce threatened. 

Steve wasn’t going to be intimidated. “Understood” He said simply leaving.

Steve waited for the elevator thinking. He had to get that drive Fury gave him and figure out what was on it. The elevator’s doors opened. Steve went in “Operations Control” 

Before the doors closed completely Rumlow stepped in with a few of his men. “Keep all STRIKE personnel on site. Forensics. Cap” He nodded to Steve. “Rumlow” Steve nodded back. The elevator door closed. 

“Evidence response found some fibres on the roof they want us to see. You want us to get the Tac team ready?” Rumlow asked.

“No. Let’s wait to see what it is first” Steve responded. Rumlow nodded “Right.”

Steve noted that Rumlow and all men with him had weapons on them. The elevator stopped at a floor and a few more men stepped in including Jonathan.

“Administration level.” Jonathan said then came over to stand beside Steve. “Hey Cap. It seems our partnership is at an end.”

Steve sighed. “You’ve been reassigned?”

“Yup. I’m in tech now.” Jonathan told him.

A few more men stepped in and the elevator door closed. Rumlow glared at Jonathan but then looked at Steve “I’m sorry about what happened with Fury. It’s messed up what happened to him.” 

“Thank you” Steve said simply. He was getting anxious now. He saw that even the administration department people had weapons he was feeling surrounded.

The elevator stopped again and this time Rollins stepped in confirming Steve’s suspicions. “Records” The elevator door closed. It was really crowded now.

“Before we get started….does anyone want to get out?” Steve asked.

No one responded. Suddenly Rumlow fired up a taser wand and two men grabbed Steve from behind. Jonathan grabbed Rumlow’s wrist before the wand reached Steve and he could hear the sound of bone cracking. 

“Ah!” Rumlow screamed in pain. Jonathan looked angry. “I’ve had it with you assholes!” 

Steve tried to shrug the men holding him off kicking the elevators emergency stop button so that the elevator didn’t go down. A guy put magnetic cuffs on one of Steve’s hands. Jonathan punched a guy breaking his nose. He grabbed the cuff Steve was struggling with and it cracked under the pressure. Steve looked at Jonathan surprised. Those cuffs were meant for enhanced people. 

Rumlow who was cradling his clearly broken wrist glared at Jonathan and tried to taser him with the wand. Jonathan let him. The electricity had no effect on him. Rumlow looked at him shocked.

Jonathan’s eyes glowed slightly. “You’re going to have to try harder than that.”

Jonathan grabbed the wand and broke it in half. Another guy tried to get the second cuff around Steve’s wrist but Jonathan grabbed his collar, picked him up and threw him out the elevator. The other guys hesitated, realizing that they had not one but two enhanced to deal with. 

In the operations control room, Sitwell grit his teeth. “Mobilize STRIKE units 25th floor.” He ordered.

Steve punched a guy knocking him out. Jonathan hit Rumlow on the head, knocking him out. He kicked another guy out the hole created when he threw the first guy out the elevator. Steve managed to knock the other guys out. 

He looked at Jonathan, “You…..” 

“Not right now. We need to get out of here first.” Jonathan interrupted. 

The elevator door dinged. Outside there were units of STRIKE covering the floor. Jonathan grabbed Steve’s shield and hit the suspension rope of the elevator hard, breaking it. The elevator started to descend fast, falling, disbalanced. It got stuck between two floors. There were units on this floor too.

Jonathan looked down. “Can you handle the jump? I can make it. I’m not sure you can”

Steve looked down as well. “We have no choice. I’ll have to make it.”

Jonathan nodded and handed Steve his shield. They both jumped out the elevator and through the glass ceiling into the lobby. Jonathan landed on his feet. Steve landed on his knees but still the shield helped break the impact. 

Jonathan pulled him up and dragged him towards the garage. “They’re going to seal off the bridge. You need to leave.”

Steve didn’t have time to argue. He got on his motorcycle and looked at Jonathan. “What are you waiting for? Get on.” He could hear units flooding the garage.

Jonathan shook his head and put a hand on Steve’s shoulder, “You’re more important. I’ll distract them, get out and figure out what on earth is going on.”

Steve wanted to argue but his window of escape was closing. He started his bike and drove out of the garage just in time as the doors closed. Steve saw spikes come up to puncture his tyres. A quinjet flew overhead and the pilot asked Steve to surrender. Steve accelerated using his shield to knock out one of the quinjet’s engines. The jet tilted. Steve used his bike and launched himself on top of it, pulling his shield out and using it to knock out the other engines of the jet. The quinjet crashed on the bridge. Steve jumped off it and into the river swimming as fast as he could to the shore. 

Jonathan slunk in a corner that he knew the cameras did not cover perfectly and used his sedir to create a shield around himself. The cameras and the people were not going to be able to see him now. He’ll wait for the coast to be clear and then find Rogers with the tracking spell he put on him. 

In the operations control room Sitwell called an emergency meeting. “Everyone. Pay attention. Whatever your job is, bury it. This is level one. I want all traffic lights turned red. Shut all runways at BWI, IAD and Raegan. All security cameras in the city go through this monitor here. Scan all open sources, phones, computers, PDAs. Whatever. If someone tweets about this guy I want to know it.”

Agent 13 spoke up, “With all due respect Sir, if SHIELD is conducting a manhunt on Captain America we deserve to know why.”

“Because he lied to us” Secretary Pierce said walking into the room. “Captain Rogers has information regarding Director Fury’s death. He refused to share it. As difficult as this to accept, Captain America and anyone with him is a fugitive from SHIELD”

**Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington DC**

Steve wore a hoodie and kept his head down as he walked down the hallway. He had to retrieve the flash drive. SHIELD was hunting him and this was the only lead he had. Steve stopped in front of the vending machine he had hidden the drive in and saw that it was gone.

Behind him Natasha came popping some bubble gum. Steve pushed her in an empty room. “Where is it?”

“Safe” Natasha responded.

Steve was in no mood for games. “Do better”

“Where did you get it?” Natasha countered.

“Why would I tell you?!” Steve questioned.

Natasha tilted her head. “Fury gave it to you. Why?”

“What’s on it?” Steve asked. Surely Natasha knew.

“I don’t know” Natasha replied.

“Stop lying!” Steve exclaimed frustrated.

“She’s not lying. She’s a good actor but that doesn’t mean she actually knows everything” A third voice said. Steve turned. 

It was Jonathan. This was not possible. Steve narrowed his eyes, “How….how did you find me? How did you get out of SHIELD? Who are you?!!”

“Not the most pressing matter at the moment is it? I saw you put that flash drive in the vending machine. I assume Fury’s the one who gave it to you?” Jonathan asked.

Natasha looked at Steve “What do you mean by how did he get out of SHIELD? Why would he have a problem getting out of SHIELD?”

“Jonathan helped me escape. Killing two agents in the process by literally throwing them out of an elevator. So excuse me if I wonder how he managed to get here.” Steve explained.

“Is this a roundabout way of making me want to regret my actions? ‘Cause it’s not going to work you know. Too bad about those agents. But honestly they were probably evil and it was them or us. So…...really don’t care I threw them out of the elevator.” Jonathan leaned against the door. 

Natasha narrowed her eyes at him. “Who are you working for? Did you sell us out?You must have…….there’s no way you could be here after a stunt like that”

Jonathan sighed. “Look for now let’s just say I have gifts that allow me to get out of tight spots. We really don’t have time. Especially me, I have to go back. My brother needs me.”

“You’re enhanced.” Natasha realized. “You’re not really FBI are you? You came here to get what information? Yes….that makes sense. You came here to get information on what SHIELD does with enhanced people.”

Jonathan straightened, “And I have to say it’s no wonder you idiots didn’t recognize the parasite. It’s not like you’re any better are you Miss Romanova?”

“Parasite? What parasite?” Natasha asked.

Now Jonathan looked surprised. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? There’s another organization operating from within SHIELD. Who do you think killed Fury? Why do you think they killed Fury?”

“Because he found out……” Natasha looked down, brow furrowed. “He found out and became a liability.”

“Exactly. Fury hired Batroc. He asked you to retrieve the information from the Lemurian Star. Why do you think that is? Why would Fury try to steal information he could have asked for. Because it wasn’t him who approved the Lemurian Star’s operation. It was someone who used Fury’s name from within SHIELD. And who in SHIELD would have that kind of authority after Fury?” Jonathan asked.

“Pierce.” Steve realized. “Pierce did this. He ordered the operation on Lemurian Star in Fury’s name.”

“And then when Fury found out and got his hands on the information from the Lemurian Star, Pierce decided to get rid of him” Natasha finished.

“No. I bugged Pierce’s office. Fury never managed to find the information. It’s too heavily encrypted. He went to Pierce to ask for Project Insight to be put on hold and the next thing we know he’s dead. Whatever this is it’s got to do with that stupid Project” Jonathan explained.

“So you’re saying Fury changed his mind about Project Insight but Pierce wanted to go ahead with it and what he decided to take out Fury. Why? Doesn’t the council need to vote to stall Project Insight? Pierce didn’t have to kill Fury over it. He could have just used the council to put Project Insight back on track.” Steve was still confused.

“Unless it is Project Insight itself that is the end game” Jonathan pointed out. “Think about. Yes Project Insight was set to go online but that was supposed to happen at the end of the year right? But then Pierce has Fury killed, he finds Batroc and interrogates him. Batorc confesses to have attacked on Fury’s order and Pierce claims Fury was selling intel. Then he points out that maybe this is why Fury wanted to shelve Project Insight. So now the Council thinks that maybe Fury hid other things from them and then…..”

“Then they vote for Project Insight to be activated a lot earlier than the decided launch date. He wants to prepone Project Insight. But what’s the hurry?” Natasha wondered.

Steve sighed. “Not again. When I was in Pierce’s office earlier he said this line. I thought it was odd. He said Fury and him agreed that sometimes to build a better world you need to tear the old one down.”

Jonathan caught. “Oh. Oh no. Project Insight can do more than just watch over people. It can…..it can be used to eliminate them…..”

“Pierce is going to use it to commit genocide.” Natasha realized. “He’s going to kill every person that is even the slightest bit of threat. He could kill millions with those Helicarriers in one go. And no one would have the time to defend themselves.”

“It will be chaos. Everyone will blame the other person. The world will descend into a giant civil war.” Jonathan pointed out.

“We can’t let this happen. We have to stop Project Insight from ever taking off.” Steve insisted.

Natasha pulled out the flash drive which she had in her back pocket. “Come on then. First step is to figure out what’s on this drive. Fury gave this to you. We need to know why” She turned to Jonathan “How do we know we can trust you?”

“You don’t. But in my defense I don’t want to die at the hands of someone like Pierce. Project Insight is a threat to all the enhanced. So for now your enemy is my enemy.” Jonathan defended.

Natasha looked at him for a moment, then nodded. “The minute you step out of line I will put a bullet between your eyes. No one can recover from that. Enhanced or not.”

Jonathan shrugged, “Be my guest. Now can we hurry? I have to get back to my brother. I don’t have time.”

“What is so special about your brother that you’d abandon a threat like this?” Natasha asked curious.

“Well for one he’s my brother. So of course he’s more important. And for two why don’t you tell me why you’re so scared of whoever killed Fury and then we’ll talk” Jonathan countered.

“Wait. What do you mean scared of who killed Fury? We don’t know who it was.” Steve asked.

Jonathan pointed at Natasha. “We don’t, she does. She knows who killed Fury”

Steve glared at Natasha. “Start talking. Now!”

Natasha sighed. “Look I can’t be sure but I do have a suspect in mind. Most of the intelligence community doesn’t believe he exists. The ones that do call him the Winter Soldier. He’s credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last 50 years.”

“So, he’s a ghost story” Steve commented.

“Or he could be another enhanced person” Jonathan pointed out.

“Five years ago, I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran. Somebody shot out my tyres near Odessa We lost control, went straight over a cliff. I pulled us out. But the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer so he shot him. Through me.” Natasha pulled up her shirt and showed the scar to Steve and Jonathan. “Soviet slug. No rifling. Bye-bye bikini”

“Yeah I bet you look terrible in them now” Steve huffed.

“Going after him is a dead end. I know I’ve tried. Like you said he’s a ghost story” Natasha held out the flash drive for Steve.

“Well let’s find out what the ghost wants” Steve took the flash drive from her.

“Great! We’re all friends! Now can we please leave before STRIKE shows up?” Jonathan motioned to the door.

Steve and Natasha turned to leave but Jonathan had frozen, his eyes becoming disturbingly vacant for a moment, then he blinked and looked at them both slightly confused.

“What were we….right. Leaving. We were leaving. Come on then. Like I said my time’s limited. Little brother’s calling. You know I have a laptop so maybe we can use that for the flash drive” Jonathan walked out of the room.

Steve and Natasha looked at each other. “Are you sure we can trust him?” Natasha asked.

Steve shrugged. “He didn’t have to help me get out of SHIELD. If this is some kind of long con I don’t get it. Jonathan is in as much hot water now as us.”

Natasha nodded. “For now. We’ll see how long it stays that way.”

**Secretary Pierce’s Office. SHIELD HQ, Washington DC**

“Nick Fury was murdered in cold blood. To any reasonable person that would make him a martyr, not a traitor.” Pierce argued with the Council.

“You know what makes him a traitor?” Councilman Rockwell asked. “Hiring a mercenary to hijack his own ship.”

“Nick Fury used your friendship to coerce this council into delaying Project Insight.” Councilman Singh pointed out. “A project he knew would expose his own illegal operations. At best he lied to you, at worst…”

“Are you calling for my resignation?” Pierce asked incredulously “I’ve got a pen and paper right here.”

“That discussion can be tabled for a later time” Councilwoman Hawley remarked. 

“But you do want to have a discussion.” Pierce commented.

“We’ve already had it Mr. Secretary. This council moves to immediately reactivate Project Insight” Councilman Rockwell informed. “If you want to say something snappy, now would be a good time.”

Pierce didn’t say anything, only smirked. Perfect. Things were finally back on track.

**En route to Camp Lehigh, New Jersey.**

Steve drove a ‘borrowed’ car as he, Natasha and Jonathan made their way to New Jersey. Jonathan did indeed have a laptop with him. They’d gone to a cafe and used the free wifi to trace where the file on the flash drive came from. It was in New Jersey. So they had broken the laptop’s hard drive and ditched it and then stolen a car and were now headed to New Jersey.

Jonathan was in the backseat looking a little vacant from time to time. It was like he just wasn’t there. Natasha was a little disturbed by it. But since Jonathan had been helpful she didn’t say anything. She was certain of one thing though, Jonathan was definitely lying. His statements didn’t add up. Even if he was enhanced he couldn’t have gotten out of SHIELD unscathed. Steve had said Jonathan had helped him escape. Still he had no injuries. Not one scratch. Steve had better healing rate maybe Jonathan had it too but in one of the moments Jonathan had been vacant Steve had said he had broken the cuffs used to restrain enhanced people like it was paper.

That was concerning. An enhanced human should not be able to do that. Those cuffs were designed keeping a variety of enhanced people in mind if Jonathan still broke through them then it was a serious concern. His constant vacant stare made Natasha wonder if maybe he was a telepath. It was possible. If that was the case then Jonathan didn’t need a phone to sell them out. Natasha will have to keep an eye on him.

“What’s with the frown? Don’t worry we’ll figure it out.” Steve looked at Natasha briefly before turning his eyes back towards the road.

Natasha shook her head, putting her feet on the dashboard. “Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?”

“Nazi Germany” Steve replied “And we’re borrowing. Take your feet off the dash.”

Natasha reluctantly put her feet down. “I have a question. Which you do not have to answer. Though I feel like if you don’t answer, you’re kinda answering it. But…”

“What is it?” Steve cut her off before she could ramble on.

“Have you kissed anyone since coming back? Or are you the 100 year old virgin?” Natasha smirked.

Steve shook his head. “I have seen that movie actually. And I’m 95 not dead. Why are you even asking?”

Natasha looked back. Jonathan was looking vacant again. “No reason. Just curious. Find anyone special yet?”

Steve shook his head. “Believe it or not, it’s kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience.”

Natasha shrugged, “Well that’s alright. Make something up.”

Steve looked at her. “What like you?”

Natasha huffed. “I don’t know. The truth is a matter of circumstance. It’s not all things to all people all the time. Neither am I”

“That’s a tough way to live.” Steve pointed out.

“It’s a good way not to die though.” Natasha said.

“Yeah.” Jonathan spoke up from behind. Apparently he was back. “Sometimes when I’m in some obscure place where people don’t know me that well I say my mother and father are alive and that both my brothers live with us and we’re all…..just one big happy family. I pretend I know what people mean when they say their mom nags at them and I say my father taught me how to fight. It’s not true but I feel like if I’m going to die in some corner of the universe, at least someone will say my family’s going to miss me……”

Natasha looked at Jonathan. That was real and something she could relate too. Natasha had never known her parents either. She’d never had a family. “What happened to them?”

Jonathan shrugged, “Life. The stories are nice but life’s no story. The good guys don’t always win here. We try of course. But no person in this universe can say they’ve never failed. My father failed and our family paid the price. It was a long time ago.”

Natasha nodded. “I never knew my parents either. The oldest memory I have is of an old woman telling me I had been bestowed with a privilege very few girls had.”

Jonathan tilted his head. “My oldest memory is of my caretaker. She wasn’t my mother but at the time I thought she was. I remember sitting in the kitchen as she baked egg tarts for me. My favourite. I used to love them as a child. What about you Cap?”

Steve sighed longingly. “My oldest memory is of my mother feeding me chicken soup as Bucky, my best friend told me all about his day. I used to be sick a lot as a kid and she always made chicken soup for me. Bucky used to live next door. He’d come over and tell me all about his day and promise me we’ll do everything he did once I got better.”

“I wonder what they’d think of us now.” Jonathan wondered. “Our parents and caretakers and evil mentors…..”

Natasha smiled. “Well I’d love to say my evil mentor would be proud of me but it’s not true.”

Jonathan shrugged, “She was evil so I think we can disregard what she’d have thought.”

Natasha’s GPS beeped. She pulled it out. “We’re here”

Jonathan looked out the window. This place…...he could feel a strange energy here. Like it was alive. They all got out. Natasha pocketed her GPS “The file came from these coordinates.”

“I sense……” Jonathan closed his physical eyes and opened his third eye. Yes. There was something…..no someone here who was alive. He could sense the energy come from underneath. Whoever it was they were underground.

Jonathan followed the energy’s signature. Natasha and Steve looked at each other then followed him. Jonathan headed towards a building. 

Steve frowned. Natasha looked at him. “What is it?”

Steve nodded to the building. “Army regulations forbid storing munitions within 500 yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place. Good work Jonathan”

But Jonathan wasn’t listening. He put his hand over the lock and squeezed. The lock broke. Natasha frowned at Jonathan. They all went in and Jonathan headed in one direction like a dog who had caught a scent.

Natasha turned on the lights. “This is SHIELD” She noted.

Steve nodded. “Where it started.”

Jonathan opened a door that led to an archive room full of empty shelves. He stopped in front of a set of shelves. “Here. Help me push this aside. Come on”

Steve examined the shelves. He could feel a slight draft. He and Jonathan pushed one of the shelves aside. There was an elevator behind it. 

Steve huffed. “Huh. If you’re already working in a secret office, why do you need to hide the elevator?”

Natasha used the device to scan the keypad and determine which keys were pressed the most. She punched in the code. The elevator dinged open and they all went in. The elevator went down, meaning there was an underground facility.

The elevator stopped in a room that appeared to be some sort of server room with a few computers and many many servers and cameras. The lights turned on automatically. Jonathan gasped. “Oh Norns! He’s alive!”

Jonathan touched a recorder, then a camera and a server. He turned to Steve and Natasha with wide eyes. “I can feel his soul! He’s alive! Unbelievable!” Jonathan went to the left touching all the data banks and circuits as he went.

“Jonathan! Wait! Who’s alive?! What are you talking about?!” Steve called out but Jonathan was out of ear shot.

Natasha shook her head. “This can’t be the data point. This technology is ancient.”

She examined a few computers and saw a port that was new. It was connected to one of the older computers. This was odd. She pulled out Fury’s flash drive and tried to put in the port. It fit and the monitors lit up and the cameras focused on them.

_ ‘Initiate System?’ _ the screen asked.

“Yes” Natasha typed and pressed entered. She smirked as the system processed the command. “Shall we play a game? It’s from a movie that was really…..”

“I know I saw it.” Steve interjected.

A strange face appeared on the monitor.  _ ‘Rogers, Steven, born 1918.’ _ The camera panned to Natasha.  _ ‘Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna, born 1984’ _

Natasha and Steve saw a few cameras whirring as they searched for Jonathan.  _ ‘Unidentified Subject. No record found’ _

“It’s some kind of recording.” Natasha remarked.

“I am not a recording, Fräulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945. But I am” The computer said and one of the monitors displayed the image of a man in glasses.

“You know this thing?” Natasha asked Steve.

“Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He’s been dead for years.” Steve said

“First correction! I am Swiss.” Zola exclaimed. “Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972, I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body. My mind however, was worth saving on 200,000 feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain.”

“How did you get here?” Steve demanded.

“Invited.” Zola responded. 

Natasha furrowed her brow. “It was Operation Paperclip. After world war II SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic value.”

“They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own.” Zola sounded smug. 

“Hydra died with the Red Skull” Steve was not liking where this was going.

“Cut off one head, two more shall take its place.” Zola displayed Hydra’s symbol on screen.

“Prove it.” Steve challenged.

“Accessing archive.” Another monitor displayed a picture of Johann Schmidt. “HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly.

After the war SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew, a beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For 70 years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war, and when history did not cooperate, history was changed”

Steve watched in horror as Zola displayed images of wars and fights and assassinations. Natasha stepped forward. “That’s impossible. SHIELD would have stopped you.”

Zola displayed an image of a newspaper stating that the Starks had died in a car accident, then the image of the Winter Soldier and a report of Fury’s death. Making it clear what had happened in both cases.

“Accidents will happen.” Zola remarked. “HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA’s new world order will rise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your life. A zero sum”

Steve punched the monitor in anger, breaking it. Zola simply appeared on another monitor. “As I was saying………...wait….what is that…..who is that……”

Zola’s face flickered. Jonathan came back from wherever he had gone off to. He was holding a smooth round object in his hand. His eyes were glowing. As he came closer Natasha noted that it was a stone. 

Zola screamed. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!”

“I’m accessing your mind and transferring your memories. Normally a mind would resist but your mind is a bunch of wires and circuits. It’s easy to fool it.” Jonathan said calmly. He came to stand beside Steve and Natasha

“STOP! STOP DOING THAT!! IT HURTS!!!” Zola flickered again then stabilized looking angry. “It doesn’t matter. In a few seconds you will be too dead to do anything with it.”

The door of the elevator started to close. Steve threw his shield at it but the doors closed. Jonathan leaned on the monitor and his eyes glowed more intensely. 

Natasha’s GPS beeped. “Steve, we got a bogey. Short range ballistic. 30 seconds tops”

“Who fired it?” Steve asked. 

“SHIELD” Natasha said looking shocked.

“STOP!!” Zola screamed as Jonathan’s stone also started glowing. Natasha pocketed the flash drive. She and Steve tried to pull Jonathan away but he was too strong. He wouldn’t budge. He turned and glared at them. Suddenly Steve and Natasha couldn’t move either.

“What are you doing Jonathan?!! We need to leave!!” Steve was too close to use his shield on Jonathan

“Fuck!” Jonathan exclaimed. He moved his fingers and the stone in his hand disappeared. Jonathan looked at the ceiling, eyes still glowing. He threw his hands up and a golden shield covered him, Natasha and Steve just in time as the missile hit the bunker.

Natasha and Steve closed their eyes as everything around them blew to smithereens. When they opened their eyes, they were surprised to see that they were still standing. Everything around them was blown up and on fire. The golden shield flickered and then disappeared. 

In place of Jonathan stood a man with long white hair, pulled back from his face by intricate braids. His ears were slightly pointed with some gold earring on it. He had the same sea-green eyes as Jonathan and there were some thin white markings around his eyes and on his chin and neck.

The man sagged, clearly exhausted. “Well that was close. What are you both looking at?” The man looked at his reflection in a nearby broken screen. “Oh. Talk about terrible timing. Well I suppose introductions are in order then.” The man held out his hand towards Steve. “Captain Rogers. I am Zaaroc, Commander of Alfheim’s armies, Thor’s half brother. Nice to meet you”

Steve looked at Jo-Zaaroc shocked. Well this was not at all what he had expected.

TBC…..


	16. Pandora’s Box (part 3)

**Council Room, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

The council members all stood a few feet from Loki, shocked. None of them had said anything for the last five minutes. Thor sat down beside Loki and stroked his hair. Freyr rolled his eyes at the council. So maybe seeing that Loki was alive was a bit of a shock, but honestly it wasn’t as if it was the first time this was happening.

Finally General Tyr seemed to somewhat recover from the shock. “Your Grace…..Loki…..blue….when…...how…...what???”

Freyr shook his head. Not recovered then. Thor sighed. “Please close the door. I want this conversation to be private.”

When none of the council members moved, Freyr went and shut the door of the council room himself. Thor nodded at him gratefully.

He looked at the council members. “I know you all have questions. I will answer them but please you must listen patiently.” Silence. There was no response. But still Thor pushed on “A few months after Loki’s death I decided to go to Midgard. Before leaving I visited Loki’s room which you all are aware has been left untouched on my mother’s command all this time. I was told there was a spell on the door that prevented people from entering but the door opened for me.

There I found a ring Loki had forged for me. He was going to give it to me after my coronation. The ring was made with Loki’s own sedir and meant to protect me from all harm. This I found in the letter that accompanied it. I took the ring with me to Midgard. There I started having dreams of Loki. Of our childhood. But the dreams were odd. For in each dream Loki would tell me I needed to remember. What I needed to remember he wouldn’t say. 

At the same time I was looking for information on the Jotun. Loki had been one of them and I wished to learn more about them. In my quest for knowledge I reached out to Uncle Freyr. He sent Zaaroc, my cousin to Midgard to help me. When Zaaroc arrived he was immediately drawn to the ring. He examined it and found that Loki had not only used a part of his sedir to forge it but also broken off a piece of his soul in the process. 

The ring had formed a mental link between me and Loki who was no longer alive. Thus this link stretched between the realm of the living and the dead. It put an immense strain on Loki’s soul as it relied completely on him. I was shocked to learn of this. After that I managed to converse with Loki’s spirit in the dreamscape.

I found out that Loki was not in Valhalla but in Helheim. I was heartbroken. For this meant that if I were to perish I would never see him again. The mere thought was agonizing. It was also not practical to continue sustaining a mental link through the barrier between the living and the dead.

I searched for knowledge on bonds and what to do about my bond to Loki. Zaaroc helped me. In our research we discovered that it was possible to turn the mental link into a fully formed soul bond and that in such a case Loki could be brought back to the land of the living. For in a soul bond two souls become part of a whole and the bond would strive to have both halves in the same plane of existence.

This knowledge…..this possibility sparked hope in me. I could have Loki back. Something I had given up on. I persuaded Zaaroc to help me. He reached out to uncle Freyr and some other mages he knew and together we formed our plan. 

I retrieved Loki’s body from Svartalfheim. I, Zaaroc together with a few other mages performed the ritual to form a soul bond with Loki. It was not easy. Once untethered from Helheim Loki was in the risk of being lost to the void but in the end we prevailed. The bond formed and Loki’s soul was pulled back to the land of the living. It has hardly been a few weeks since the bond formed. Then father went into Odinsleep and I had to return…...I couldn’t leave Loki…...so we came up with the plan to disguise him as Ilvana….so that we could be together without fear and the rest…...well you know”

There was silence for a moment longer before all of the council members spoke at the same time.

“Why did you keep this from us?!!!”

“How can Prince Loki take a female form? I thought he couldn’t do that”

“But…..but you and him have been acting as lovers……...I don’t understand……”

“How can you be sure it was Prince Loki’s soul that was communicating with you? Perhaps it was a trick!!! That could be an imposter!!!”

“Your Grace this…...this is truly unexpected…….why did you not reveal this to us?”

Thor sighed. “I know I should have told you. But can you blame me? Loki has been labeled a traitor by father. I had no desire to see him banished to the dungeons. I would not have kept the ruse forever. I just wanted to wait till the soul bond had settled completely before revealing who Ilvana truly was. Neither nor Loki had any intention of keeping this charade forever. We couldn’t. It would never have worked.”

Lady Sigrid rubbed her forehead. “But Your Grace, even if we accept Prince Loki, he still committed crimes against Midgard and against Jotunheim. How can we in good conscience let it go?”

Thor sighed. “I cannot say what the people of Jotunheim think of Loki but for the attack on Midgard, I have reason to believe someone forced Loki into doing what he did. The investigation is still ongoing on Midgard. My shield-brother Anthony Stark is looking into the matter. But we have established that Loki was not in complete control when he attacked Midgard. What the rulers of Midgard decide remains to be seen. But at the moment Loki does not stand accused of attacking Midgard” Not entirely true but the council didn’t need to know that. 

“But still…..” Lord Sten interjected. “He is still accused of killing dozens on Jotunheim. We know Prince Loki did not usurp the throne but he still attacked you and Jotunheim with intent to kill.”

Freyr spoke up before Thor could say anything. “I think we should let Jotunheim decide whether or not Loki stands accused of attacking them. As for the attacking Thor, I believe Loki never intended to kill Thor just to force him to reach out to his power and thereby end his exile.”

“Yes!” Thor jumped at the chance Freyr had given him. “Indeed. Loki realized that I needed a push so that Mjolnir may answer my call again. That was there was to it. I have long forgiven Loki for it. It is pointless to keep bringing it up.”

“Besides…” Freyr spoke up once again. “Whatever fate befalls Loki shall befall Thor as well. If you cut off Loki’s head, Thor shall perish too. If you banish Loki to the isolation Odin had, Thor will suffer the pain as well. Such is the nature of the soul bond. Whatever one half endures the other will endure it too.”

That made the council members look at each other. It was a conundrum. If they punished Loki they would be inadvertently punishing Thor as well and the council saw no reason to punish Thor.

“What do you intend to do now, Your Grace?” Lord Njal asked.

Thor frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. I thought we decided to conduct an extensive investigation into my father’s activities and call a council of all rulers and decide what to do in the light of my uncles’ confessions”

Lord Njal looked unsure. “No I mean…..um…...what do you intend to do about your ‘relationship’ to Ilvana. Since it was a ruse…….should we call off the announcement of your engagement to her?”

Thor looked a little hesitant but squared his shoulders. “No. I have every intention of going through with the engagement. I always intended to marry Loki otherwise we would not have picked the form of Ilvana to hide him in. I have always loved Loki as more than a brother even before my exile I intended to find a way to be with him. My love for him hasn’t changed. The engagement will go as previously planned though I hope to reveal Loki to the people as well before it.”

The council members looked like they weren’t sure how to respond to that. Freyr shook his head. The later generations of Aesir were so misinformed it was troubling.

“My Lords and My Lady, perhaps we can discuss Thor and Loki’s relationship another time, when Loki himself is also awake to give his input. For now how about we proceed as previously planned. What is this I hear about Ve and Vili’s confessions. Why was I summoned in such a hurry?” Freyr diverted the council’s attention to him smoothly.

General Tyr shook his head. “Um…..yes that…..we should do that…..I assume Your Grace that Loki shall be staying with you? Or do we need to prepare a ce-....”

Tyr trailed off when Thor glared at him, his eyes going white with lightning again. Outside thunder rumbled ominously. “For the first and last time  **Loki is not a prisoner** . If we are being honest Asgard has no right to judge Loki  **Laufeyson** ” Thor emphasized the fact that Loki was Jotun. “He is Jotun. If anyone will be the judge of him it will be Queen Farbauti and the council of Jotunheim. We have no right to place any judgement on him. We never did…”

General Tyr bowed his head acknowledging Thor’s words as did the rest of the council. “Very well Your Grace. As you command”

Freyr waved a hand and an illusion of Ilvana’s form covered Loki. “There that will not hold forever. I’m afraid Loki’s power has grown and I am no longer capable of challenging it. But it should last long enough for you to reach your chambers.”

Thor nodded at Freyr gratefully. “Thank you, Uncle. Is he going to be alright?”

Freyr smiled at Thor, “Yes of course, Thor. He is exhausted that’s all. He expended a lot of his sedir in trying to fight the spell put on him. He needs rest and food when he awakens. Proximity to you will allow the bond to help him recover faster. He should be up in no time.”

Thor nodded, putting one arm under Loki’s knees and the other beneath his head and lifted him as if he weighed nothing. He carried Loki to their room and gently lay him on their bed. Thor sighed and sat beside Loki. He really hoped everything went well. He refused to be separated from Loki even if he had to give up his kingdom for it.

Back in the council room or what was left of it Freyr sighed as the council members murmured among themselves. Honestly, they were well aware that Freyr himself was wed to his own sister Freya. They knew a soul bond couldn’t be challenged and still they insisted on poking Thor and Loki’s relationship. 

But for the sake of his nephews Freyr resisted the urge to yell at these idiots and instead forced himself to be civil. “My Lords and My Lady is there another room we can go to for this discussion?”

Lord Sten looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Is it a discussion? You knew Prince Loki was alive and you did not inform about it to this council or to King Odin.”

Freyr wasn’t going to be intimidated. “Yes I did not. Forgive me, My Lord but as far as I recall I am the King of Alfheim and therefore not beholden to answer to Odin or to this council. Unless you are implying that Alfheim is subservient to Asgard….”

“No…..we…...we are not saying that Your Grace…..we just…..you must see why such information should not have been kept under wraps.” Lady Sigrid tried to placate Freyr.

“Like Thor just said we had no intention of keeping the knowledge of Loki’s…….resurrection to ourselves forever. It is cruel to bind Loki to a life where he has to hide his true face.” Freyr replied.

“He was truly dead wasn’t he…….and he came back to life…….the soul bond…...I have read it cannot be formed by force…….Prince Thor truly did this of his own free will…..” Lord Njal wondered out loud.

Finally! Someone who saw sense. “Indeed” Freyr agreed. “It was Thor who came up with the idea to form a soul bond. Loki had accepted his fate. Thor was the one to suggest the soul bond. Thor wanted Loki back. I was not sure it would work but it did. That more than anything is proof of how much they love each other. It is pointless to argue about this. A soul bond is very intimate. I would know I share one with Freya. I can tell you if you try to separate Thor and Loki now it will end only in pain and suffering. It is what it is. It is best to accept that this is their relationship now. ”

The council members seemed to be thinking it over. That was fine. Freyr could handle questions. But he refused to accept rash judgement. “I have still not been told why I was called on such short notice. I came here immediately as I was worried that something had happened to Loki and Thor. A worry that was not unfounded it seems. But it seems something else happened…?” Freyr asked.

General Tyr shook his head. “Uh yes…...apologies King Freyr, it has been an exhausting day. I believe it has overwhelmed us. We can go to the dinning hall. We…..we made some disturbing discoveries today and we would like to ask you some questions about how your family came to form a bond with Odin. We…..Ve and Vili confessed that Queen Frigga had been forced to marry King Odin…..we found a mural in the throne room…..we….”

Freyr straightened. “Ah. I see. Did this mural have an image of a woman with black hair and green eyes astride a direwolf, Mjolnir held aloft?” 

The council members looked at each other. “It is true then? Thor is not King Odin’s firstborn?” Lord Sten asked.

Freyr pursed his lips and sighed. “No. He’s not Odin’s firstborn. Odin’s firstborn child is Hela. Odin removed her from the history books for her supposed crimes during the war with Alfheim and Vanaheim….”

“Is?” Lady Sigrid asked “We thought…..Vili and Ve said Hela perished towards the end of the war at the hands of Odin…..”

Freyr shook his head. “She is the Goddess of Death. Odin did try to kill her but he didn’t succeed. He managed to trap her body and soul in Helheim but I assure you, Hela is alive.”

“Helheim…..that’s…..Prince Loki would know about it then? Wasn’t Helheim where Loki’s soul went when he died?” General Tyr asked.

Freyr had to play this carefully. “Yes. It is. And it’s possible Loki came in contact with Hela but I don’t know about that. Loki did say he met Laufey in Helheim. It’s possible he also met Hela. That said Loki would have had no reason to think Hela is Odin’s firstborn unless Hela herself told him. And even if she did he had no reason to believe her. That is something you will have to ask him yourself.”

“Was…...was Queen Frigga truly forced to marry King Odin?” Lady Sigrid asked.

Freyr looked down. It still hurt that Frigga was not here to see this day. “Yes. My sister…..she loved Vuco the King of Alfheim but…….but Odin killed him. He held me and Freya captive. He murdered my child while it was still in Freya’s womb……..He was obsessed with Frigga. He was convinced that with her, he could have an heir born with unprecedented sedir. He didn’t love Frigga. He only saw her as a means to an end. He gave Frigga a choice either she could marry Odin or he would kill me and Freya and what was left of the people of Vanaheim and Alfheim…….my sister had no choice. Do you know she tried to kill herself when Thor was born? Odin said it was the pain of childbirth that nearly killed her but in truth Frigga tried to kill herself. She was trapped in this bloody castle. Forced to smile and act as if everything was alright. But the threat was always hanging on our head. If Odin found even a hint of rebellion he would have used the Bifrost and finished us all. He told me so on multiple occasions. So yes Lady Sigrid my sister was forced to marry that….that monster!”

Freyr hadn’t meant to sound so harsh. But by the Norns! He was fed up with acting as if everything was alright. It was not alright. It hadn’t been alright for over a thousand years.

The council looked taken aback by how angry Freyr sounded. General Tyr cleared his throat. “Forgive me Your Grace….we...we had not known….if we had….”

“Even if you had known, you would not have been able to do anything, General Tyr. Odin would have had your head if you had raised your voice against him.” Freyr interjected. He sighed. “But we are going in circles. Tell me what else have you found in the palace that prompted this meeting.”

“We believe we have found Queen Bestla’s room. There was a secret passage there. It led Prince Loki and King Thor to Jotunheim. They just returned a few hours ago.” Lord Njal told Freyr.

Interesting. Freyr had thought all of Bestla’s things had been burned. That some still existed was a good thing. Freyr shook his head. He waved a hand making all the scrolls that he had stored away appear again. 

“Here.” Freyr said. “I believe these scrolls are from the archive, yes? You can go back to your research. Point me in the direction of a room where I may wait for the others to arrive. Has a message been sent to Queen Farbauti yet?”

“No, Your Grace. We are not sure how to approach Queen Farbauti. So no message has been sent to her yet.” Lady Sigrid informed.

Freyr nodded, “I know how to approach Farbauti. I shall inform her of the developments here. It is high time she be told of Loki. The woman deserves to know.” She already did but the council needn’t know that. Ever.

“There are rooms prepared for you in the East Wing, Your Grace” General Tyr informed. “Near the library.”

“Ah yes. I know which room that is. Very well. I will take my leave. I will contact Queen Farbauti. Fetch me when the other rulers arrive.” Freyr left, leaving behind still somewhat confused and overwhelmed council members. He felt bad for them. Svol and especially Farbauti were no doubt going to make things very difficult for the council. They were both very angry. 

Freyr pushed open the door of the room assigned to him and sat on a chair, sighing. It was going to be sometime before he would be able to go back to Alfheim. He might as well take this time to reach out to the others and warn them of all that had transpired here today.

**The Dreamscape**

Zaaroc rubbed a hand over his face. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “So you’re saying the council now knows that Loki is alive and that he had been using the form of Ilvana all along. This is terrible! Who gave Thor the bright idea that it was alright to let Heimdall out of the dungeon?!!”

Freyr sighed. “Stop yelling Zaaroc. No one could have predicted Heimdall of all people would know a spell to reveal true forms. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. At the moment the council is reeling from the revelation of Hela as such it is easy to convince them to keep mum about Loki. And as Thor said Loki is Jotun. He is not of Asgard. The council of Asgard has no right to judge him in the first place.”

“So how do you propose we proceed Freyr?” Farbauti asked. “Thor pretended to not know about Hela. I say we keep it that way. Loki can say he met Hela but that she introduced herself as the ruler of Helheim and since there is practically no information about Helheim he had no choice but to believe her.”

“Yes. It is believable that Hela would hide her true identity. We can work with this. How did the council take the news of Thor and Loki’s relationship” Etri asked.

“About as well as can be expected. They’re not completely in favor of it but I believe we can persuade them. The soul bond certainly helps here. It’s not as if it can be broken. They still hold Loki responsible for crimes on Jotunheim and Midgard though” Freyr informed.

“And yet they do not hold Thor responsible for his crimes against my people” Farbauti pointed out. “Very well then. If the council insists on punishing Loki, I will insist on punishing Thor. They can’t have it both ways.”

Freyr looked at Zaaroc “What about that scepter? Have you found it?”

Zaaroc shook his head. “Oh don’t get me started. It turns out that the organization responsible for the scepter has a parasite within it. As we speak I am with one of Thor’s shield brothers looking for a way to flush out the parasite. The scepter I believe is with this parasite. It’s no longer where it was supposed to be. As of right now, it’s location is unknown. Sorry”

Freyr rubbed his forehead, “We need it. And you cannot stay on Midgard forever. In fact I think it’s best you return. The Council of the Nine will start tomorrow. Your presence is imperative. Let the humans sort out their own problems. We will take the scepter from whoever is left standing. This is more important. Svol what about Hela? We have a plan for getting her out but I would like a backup plan to be in place.”

Svol leaned in. “Ah. Yes. I have gone through all the libraries in Muspelheim and worked with my mages. We believe that the spell Odin put on Hela can be broken if you are able to find a piece of the chain used to form the chain binding Hela. We should be able to reverse the spell without having to wake Odin for it. For the chain to still be potent whilst he's is incapacitated Odin would have had offered a piece of it to Auroch the Great Fire Demon. So that means we are looking for an altar of sorts.”

Freyr nodded. “The council on Asgard recently found Bestla’s room. It was hidden. It’s possible Odin’s altar is also hidden within the palace. I can persuade the council to search out all hidden rooms in the palace. This is doable.”

“We also need to assess if we should prepare our armies. Just in case things on Asgard do not go as expected.” Freya pointed out.

“We will. My people have already started forging weapons as we speak. We will not submit to Asgard a second time.” Etri declared.

“I too have increased patrol in Utgard. We are prepared.” Farbauti agreed.

“Very well. I believe that is all for now. We will reconvene in the real world. I shall bring Thor and Loki up to date. Let us hope things go as planned.” Freyr looked at each ruler one last time before the dreamscape faded.

TBC.....


	17. The Monster Within (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zaaroc reveals some truths, Sam is a good looking guy in sunglasses and we get a look inside the head of one deadly assassin

**Outside Camp Lehigh, New Jersey**

Zaaroc held his hand out for Steve to shake but when he didn’t, he sighed and pulled his hand back. “Fine. Be that way.”

Zaaroc swayed a little as he turned to leave. He had expended a lot of his sedir, first trying to retrieve as many memories as he could from Zola and then holding up that shield as everything around them blew up, added with the strain of keeping an illusion on himself, he needed rest and food. Lots of food. Preferably sweet. 

“You’re…...your ears are pointed”, Steve said looking a little dazed.

Zaaroc rolled his eyes. “Well yes. I told you I’m from Alfheim. Oh…..right. You don’t know where that is. Sorry. My fault. I sometimes forget the humans are not that well versed in their realms. I am from Alfheim which is the realm of the light elves. Hence the pointed ears…..”

Natasha stepped forward. “And why would a light elf be interested in a human spy organization.”

Zaaroc shrugged. “Because said human spy organization has a very dangerous alien weapon in their possession? Oh which is missing by the way.”

“Loki’s scepter” Natasha realized. “You're here for Loki’s scepter”

“It’s not Loki’s. It was given to him by someone else” Zaaroc clarified. “But that was my intention. It has recently been discovered that the scepter might be a teeny-tiny bit more powerful than you are capable of handling. So Thor sent me to retrieve it. Of course when I got here I stumbled on this whole HYDRA mess and well…...here we are”

Steve looked like he was going to protest but they heard the noise of quinjets. Zaaroc looked up. “I suggest we get out of here. I have sadly expended too much sedir. I need to recover and I’d rather not do it from a cell.”

Zaaroc, Natasha and Steve left just as the quinjets flew overhead. Rumlow now with a wrist brace climbed out of the jet and surveyed the place with his team. In the rubble he saw a footprint. “Call in the asset” Rumlow commanded over the comms.

**Secretary Pierce’s House, Washington DC**

Secretary Pierce went to the kitchen and pulled out a carton of milk from the refrigerator. He turned and saw a man sitting in the dark. 

“I’m going to go Mr Pierce. You need anything before I leave?” Renata, Pierce’s housekeeper called from outside.

“No…..Uh, it’s fine, Renata, you can go home.” Pierce responded.

“Okay night-night” Renata left.

“Good night” Pierce responded. He looked at the man then turned to the cupboard to fetch a glass. “Want some milk?”

There was no response. The Asset simply looked at him. Pierce expected as much. “The timetable has moved. Our window is limited.”

Pierce drank some milk, then came around to the table where the Asset was sitting. “Three targets. Level six. They already cost me Zola. I want confirmed death in 10 hours”

“Sorry Mr. Pierce...I…” It was Renata. Pierce turned around. Renata looked scared when she saw the Asset. “I…..forgot my…..phone.”

Pierce sighed. “Oh Renata. I wish you would have knocked.” Pierce picked up the gun on the table and shot Renata. 

The Asset’s right eye twitched. _‘You should have stopped him’_ A voice whispered in his head. The Asset pushed it down and locked it away. That voice only ever brought pain. He didn’t want to go back to the chair. The Asset took the gun from Pierce “Это будет сделано”

Pierce smiled. “Good.”

**Sam Wilson’s House, Washington DC**

Sam came back from his morning run and took out a bottle of orange juice. He was about to drink some when there was a knock on the door.

He went to the door and saw that it was Steve Rogers with the woman in red hair and a guy with long white hair and pointed ears? That couldn’t be right. They all looked tired. The guy in white hair looked like he needed to eat something.

“Hey man” Sam said for lack of anything else to say.

Steve sighed. “Sorry about this, but we need a place to lay low.”

“Everyone we know is trying to kill us” The woman said.

“I just want some food. A chocolate or maybe two dozen. Anything sweet really” The guy with white hair said.

Sam didn’t know how to react to that comment, so he focused on Steve. “Not everyone. Come on in”

Sam opened the door to let them all in and looked around before closing it and shutting the blinds.

“Oh yes! Orange juice!” Zaaroc immediately picked up the bottle and drank all of the orange juice in one go. That had been like a gallon. 

Sam looked at the guy and then at Steve “Ok….so who is he exactly?”

Steve got a super disappointed look on his face. Kind of like Sam’s mom did. “Yes, that is a good question.”

Zaaroc looked up from where he was now raiding Sam’s fridge. “Are you always this passive aggressive? I told you I’m Zaaroc, the commander of Alfheim’s armies, Thor’s half brother. I told you Alfheim’s the realm of the light elves. Ergo I am a light elf. Though not fully…..I mean my mother was Vanir so….”

Sam snorted. “Yeah sure and I’m Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Zaaroc’s eyes glowed, making Sam take a step back. “You’re like the wrong gender aren’t you? Or can humans shift between genders? They couldn’t the last time I was here. Am I missing something?”

“Why are you here?” Steve grit out.

Zaaroc rolled his eyes. “Are you hard of hearing? I told you I came to retrieve the scepter on Thor’s request and then I stumbled on the whole HYDRA mess. Though I have to say this plan HYDRA has is pretty good. And the whole grow from within SHIELD thing? Also brilliant. It’s a pretty good way of doing things. Zola should have kept his trap shut. But overall not bad. Not bad at all”

Sam held his hands up. “Wait….wait….Thor….as in the alien Prince Thor? You’re his half brother? This is not a costume is it? Wow! I never thought I’d meet an actual real life elf! You seem pretty caught up on Earth slang. I didn’t expect that”

Zaaroc smiled, “I was actually born on Earth. Like more than 1500 years ago. I kept in touch. I like to come here every now and then.”

“1500 years….” Sam couldn’t imagine what it would be like to live that long.

“If retrieving the scepter is so important, why isn’t Thor here to do it himself?” Natasha asked. 

Zaaroc found some snickers and stuffed it in his mouth. “Thor has a lot on his plate. Starting with the fact that he is no longer Prince Thor but rather King Thor. It’s one thing for him to go trapezing off to other realms when he’s the Crown Prince, another for him to do the same when he’s the King. A few weeks ago King Odin went into a coma. Thor is King till he recovers so he can’t be here personally.”

“Thor didn’t tell us his father was in a coma. Is King Odin going to be alright?” Steve asked

“Hopefully not.” Zaaroc said. When everyone looked at him in shock, he elaborated. “Look, Odin….he’s not the kind and benevolent King everyone thinks he is. A few thousand years ago Odin declared himself supreme ruler over the Nine realms and then proceeded to conquer killing anyone in his path including my father. He is a tyrant. He left Midgard….Earth alone because at the time Earth was too primitive. He didn’t see the point in ruling humans when they have such short lives. But things have changed. Humans progressed. I don’t think he’s going to leave you alone now. He will try to subjugate you as he did my realm and trust me when I say you are not capable of defeating him. So it’s in everyone’s best interest that Thor ascends to the throne.”

“We beat Loki.” Natasha pointed out. “We beat the Chitauri in New York.”

Zaaroc leaned in Natasha’s face. “You beat Loki, because Loki let you beat him. If he’d really wanted a fight you wouldn’t be here right now. You have no idea what he was capable of”

“Was? You say it like the guy is dead.” Sam wondered out loud

Zaaroc closed his eyes briefly. “He is dead. He died protecting Thor from one of Malekith’s minions. Malekith is the one who attacked London. That war cost Asgard a lot. Malekith killed my...our mother and Loki was also killed in the war.”

“Thor’s mother is dead? I didn’t know that…..” Steve felt bad for Thor. He knew how it felt to lose a parent.

“It has been a difficult few months. As of now Thor is King over Asgard. There’s going to be a council to decide what to do about Odin. Thor seeks a pardon for Loki because it has come to light that he might not have been entirely in control when he attacked New York. That’s why I came here to look for the scepter.” Zaaroc explained.

“What information would make you believe that Loki was not behind the New York attack?” Natasha was not liking this.

Zaaroc crossed his arms. “You tell me. What color were Loki’s eyes?”

Natasha frowned. “Blue. His eyes were blue. I don’t understand what does this have to do with anything?”

“Exactly. Loki’s eyes were green not blue. It just doesn’t add up. Did you know before showing up here Loki tried to kill himself? He tries to kill himself and falls into the void. Then he shows up a year later with an army and this crazy idea of ruling over earth. It makes no sense. Loki’s fight was with Odin. He had no reason to attack Midgard. Even if he had managed to take over Midgard it would give him no advantage against Odin. The other realms are much more advanced in weapons and military. Midgardians would not have been able to sustain a prolonged war with the rest of the nine. It’s a bad move for any non-human ruler.” Zaaroc pointed out.

“And you believe examining the scepter can help you determine what happened to Loki?” Steve asked

Zaaroc shrugged. “It would be a start. The scepter was used to control other people but I have no idea how. Thor had to give it up because of course he’d rather take the Tesseract and Loki with him. But it’s very clear now that it was a mistake to leave the scepter here. For all we know it is in the hands of HYDRA now. That is not a good thing”

“This is so not what I expected when I let you guys in” Sam spoke up.

Steve sighed, “I’m sorry Sam. I…”

“No. no. It’s cool. I’m not complaining. Just making a point.” Sam reassured. “So um….what are we going to do now?”

“I am going to leave. I am supposed to be present at the council thing. Thor needs my support. For your little parasite problem why don’t you just call Dr. Stark? He’s one who designed those hellicarriers isn’t he? I’m pretty sure he can help you in taking them down. I think that should be your move. Thank you for the orange juice and the chocolate.” Zaaroc turned to leave.

Steve grabbed his arm. “Wait! You’re going to leave? Just like that? We need your help. There are thousands of lives at stake here.”

Zaaroc pulled his arm free from Steve’s grip. “I told you before. My loyalty is with my brother. I have to help Thor. You must understand. The fate of eight planets is at stake. Including yours. Or would you rather save Earth from HYDRA just to lose it to Odin?”

Natasha held Steve back. “Let him go Steve. He’s right. We can handle this. We can’t really help with Zaaroc’s problem. It’s above our paygrade. It’s best to let him do what he has to”

“Thank you. Now if there isn’t anything else….” Zaaroc asked

Natasha shook her head. “No. How will we know you have succeeded in usurping Odin?”

“If I succeed I’ll be back for the scepter, preferably with Thor.” Zaaroc replied. “If not….well thousands of soldiers in golden armor is a sign of the end times”

“I’ll stock up on toilet paper then.” Sam commented.

Zaaroc shook his head “Don’t bother. If Odin has his way, you’ll be too dead to use it”

With that statement Zaaroc walked out. Steve followed him a moment later to see where he was going but when he looked outside, Zaaroc was nowhere to be found.

Steve came back inside dejected, “He’s gone. Just disappeared into thin air. Why did you not convince him to stay? We could have used the help!”

Natasha sighed. “Look Steve I know you want to believe everyone is good but that’s not actually true. How can we trust some elf from who knows where?! He says he is Thor’s half brother but Thor has never mentioned him. We can’t trust him to not turn on us. Let’s stick with humans for now and leave inter-galactic friendships for another time.”

“You believe what he said about Odin and Loki and all?” Sam asked.

Natasha pursed her lips. “I think something big is going down in Asgard. I don’t know if everything Zaaroc said is true or not but we don’t have time to worry about it right now. For us HYDRA is the most immediate threat. We have to focus on it.”

“And how do you propose we do that? We don’t even know what Zola meant when he talked about the purification process.” Steve asked.

“No….but Jasper Sitwell was on the Lemurian Star as well.” Natasha pointed out. “He must know what’s going on.”

Steve threw his hands up in frustration. “Great. So now the question is how do two fugitives kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight with no help!”

Sam brought over a file from a cupboard and gave it to Steve. “The answer is you don’t”

“What’s this?” Steve asked, reading the file.

Sam shrugged “Call it a resume”

Natasha peered at the file. “Is this Bakhmala? The Khalid Khandil mission, that was you?” Natasha looked at Steve “You didn’t say he was pararescue. I heard they couldn’t bring in the choppers because of the RPGs. What did you use? Stealth chute?”

“No” Sam turned a page in the file. “These”

Steve huffed at the design of the Exo-Wings. “I thought you said you were a pilot.”

“I never said I was a pilot. You assumed” Sam clarified.

Steve shook his head, “Sam, I can’t ask you to do this. You got out for a reason.”

Sam stepped forward, “I just met a real life elf. You’re Captain America. There’s crazy ass Neo-nazi organization trying to kill us all with a possible side threat of an alien tyrant. There was never a better reason to get back in.”

Steve nodded. “Where can we find one of these things?”

“The last one is at Fort Meade.” Sam informed. “Behind three guarded gates and a 12-inch steel wall.”

Natasha shrugged. Steve nodded. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

**Outside a Cafe, Washington DC**

“Listen I gotta fly home tonight. I got a constituency problem and I got to press the flesh” Senator Stern said as he walked out with Jasper Sitwell

“Any constituent in particular, Mr. Senator?” Jasper asked.

“Oh. No not really” Senator Stern replied. “Twenty three. Kinda hot. Like really hot you know? Wants to be a reporter, I think. I don’t know. Who listens at that point?”

“Doesn’t sound like much of a problem to me” Jasper commented.

“Really? Because she’s killing my back?” Senator Stern pointed out. “Look this isn’t really the place to talk about it. This is a nice pin. Come here.

Senator Stern hugged Jasper. “Hail Hydra” he whispered in Jasper’s ear. 

Senator Stern left. Jasper watched him, smiling slightly. His phone rang. Jasper saw it was from Alexander Pierce. He ordered his guards to bring the car around, then picked up the phone. “Yes, Sir?”

“Agent Sitwell. How was lunch?” A voice that was not Pierce spoke. “I hear the crab cakes here are delicious”

“Who is this?” Jasper demanded.

“The good-looking guy in the sunglasses, your 10 o’clock” the voice responded.

Jasper looked around and spotted a guy sitting and drinking from a glass. “What do you want?”

“You’re gonna go around the corner to your right. There’s a grey car two spaces down. You and I are gonna take a ride.” The guy instructed.

“And why would I do that?” Jasper asked

“Because that tie looks really expensive, and I’d hate to mess it up” The guy responded and Jasper saw a red dot on his tie. Shit.

Jasper got in the car as instructed and saw it was the Black Widow and Captain Rogers. Double shit. The guy from earlier got in and they drove to an unknown building. Steve Rogers dragged Jasper all the way to the roof and pushed him through the door.

“Ouch!” Jasper complained.

“Tell me about the purification process.” Steve demanded.

“Never heard of it” Jasper backed away from Steve

“What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?” Steve kept walking towards him.

“Throwing up. I get seasick” Jasper stumbled as he reached the edge of the roof. Steve caught him before he fell over.

Jasper smirked. “Is this little display meant to insinuate that you’re gonna throw me off the roof? Because it’s really not your style, Rogers.”

Steve let go of Jasper. “You’re right. It’s not. It’s hers” He stepped aside and the Black Widow kicked Jasper off the roof.

Jasper screamed as he fell. He closed his eyes, then felt someone catch him. He opened his eyes and saw it was the guy from the cafe. He had wings? What the hell!

The guy dumped Jasper back on the roof at Rogers’ feet. Jasper tried to catch his breath. Steve made a move towards him again. Jasper held his hands up. “It’s an algorithm! The purification process. Zola made an algorithm! For choosing Insight’s targets”

“What targets?” Steve demanded

“You! The TV anchor in Cairo, the Under Secretary of Defence, a high school valedictorian in Iowa City. A neurosurgeon, Dr. Strange. Bruce Banner. Anyone who’s a threat to HYDRA! Now or in the future”

“In the future? How could it know?” Steve asked.

Jasper chuckled, “How could it not?! The 21st Century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it. Your bank records, medical history, voting patterns, emails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores! Zola’s algorithm evaluates people’s past to predict their future.”

“And what then?” Steve wanted to know.

“Oh my God, Pierce is going to kill me” Jasper realized.

“What then?!” Steve roared.

“The Insight helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time.” Jasper replied.

**Somewhere over the Freeway, Washington DC.**

The Asset looked at the pictures of his target. The red haired woman ‘Natasha’ invoked no emotion. But the man ‘Steve Rogers’, the voice that lived in the back of the Asset’s mind had stirred at the name. Now it was banging the walls of the room the Asset had locked it in. The voice knew this man.

The Asset loaded his gun. It didn’t matter. For as long as the Asset could remember all he had known was targets. The longest he had been awake had been in a cold bunker in Siberia. He had trained others like him. No. They had been too out of control. They weren’t exactly like him. 

Still he remembered Siberia with a certain…...fondness. He loved the food because it was all the food he had known outside of the drips Pierce gave him. The voice hadn’t liked it. The voice liked warm places. But the Asset had never known warmth. He couldn’t relate. He had tried to erase the voice but it was no good, it kept coming back. It had become more insistent on this mission. The Asset was fed up with it. 

Rumlow came round, “Hey you ready?”

The Asset nodded. He checked his guns one last time and shoved the voice in a deep dark corner. He had to kill this man. Steve Rogers sparked interest in the voice. The Asset couldn’t afford that. Steve Rogers had to go.

**New York Sanctum Sanctorum, New York.**

“You see what I meant don’t you, Aroa?” Zaaroc asked a tall bald woman in yellow robes as they both peered through the Cup of Jamashid and saw Steve Rogers question Jasper Sitwell

Aroa sighed. “I cannot interfere. The time has not yet come. I will keep an eye on things but I cannot say I will help.”

Zaaroc shook his head. “One of these days you are going to have to face the sun Aroa. The order cannot hide forever.”

Aroa looked out the massive glass window of the Sanctum. “It is not meant for me to lead us in the sun, Zaaroc. That honor belongs to my successor.”

“And when will this successor get here again?” Zaaroc asked.

Aroa smiled. “Soon. The pieces are moving as I have seen. He must come to me. I cannot force this life on him. He must choose it himself. Don’t worry Zaaroc Earth will survive HYDRA yet.”

Zaaroc looked at Aroa for a moment longer. “Alright. It’s hard to argue with someone who can actually see the future. And mind you that is the only reason I’m letting this go. Also because I’m running late. Do you mind opening a portal to Alfheim?”

“Not at all” Aroa pulled on her sling ring and made a circular motion. A portal opened and on the other side Zaaroc could see Freyr’s private library.

“Thank you. I really hope it goes as you say. If it doesn’t, don’t hesitate to call me. I may have implied to Steve Rogers that could care less but it’s not really true.” Zaaroc said.

Aroa nodded. “I know. Don’t worry. I have seen thousands of possibilities. We are on the right path. Steve Rogers will succeed in bringing HYDRA down. There will be loss of life. That is inevitable. But this incident is necessary to spark a conversation long overdue. Farewell Zaaroc.”

Zaaroc nodded and stepped through the portal, back home. The portal closed behind him. Zaaroc sighed. Well now to get on with bringing Odin down. 

TBC…..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Это будет сделано - "It will be done"


	18. Pandora’s Box (part 4)

**Thor’s Private Chambers, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Loki groaned as he woke up. His head head hurt. It felt like he had hit his head on the wall. Repeatedly. He rubbed his forehead and opened his eyes. Thor was sitting beside him looking worried. Though he sighed in relief when he saw Loki was awake.

Loki turned burying his head in his pillow. “Thor? What happened? The last thing I remember is…..” Then it all came rushing back, Heimdall, that horrible spell and the panic Loki had felt as his body changed against his will. Now that Loki remembered he realized his hand was blue. “Oh.”

Thor sighed laying down beside Loki and wrapping his arms around Loki’s waist. “Yes. I know. Should have never let Heimdall out.”

Loki bit his lip. “How many?”

“The entire council. Thankfully Uncle Freyr has excellent timing so we avoided more people finding out. But the council knows…..” Thor said, looking sheepish.

“I am surprised I’m not in a cell.” Loki commented.

Thor frowned at him. “I wouldn’t have let them do that. You know that.”

“Well I’m even more surprised you’re not in the healing rooms getting checked for mind control spells.” Loki pointed out.

Thor lowered his eyes. “I…..might have…..maybe…..nearly blown Tyr to smithers when he suggested putting you in a cell.”

Loki sat up on one elbow looking down at Thor in surprise. Thor looked embarrassed by that. So Loki kissed him. “Mhmm…...that is actually very hot….”

Thor looked at him, “Really? You think so?”

Loki nodded, laying back down. “I felt a huge amount of my power leave me. Dare I ask what the council room looks like now…”

“Oh it survived. Sort of. The furniture’s all gone. But that was me not you. It is covered floor to ceiling in ice though” Thor scooted closer to Loki.

“The weather…?” Loki ventured.

“Rained pigs and cows for five minutes till I got control of my powers and then the sun was shining brightly.” Thor said with false cheer.

“Great. So now all the people are probably wondering if you’re capable of controlling your powers or not. Lovely. Any more good news?” Loki asked.

“The parasite within SHIELD has the scepter. The council of the Nine is set to commence tomorrow at the latest so Zaaroc is forced to return without it. Me stepping down from the throne is probably cemented now…..so…..Oh but on the bright side there might be a way to free Hela without waking Odin. Svol believes Odin offered? Sacrificed? A piece of the chain he used to bind Hela to Auroch on some kind of altar. So all we have to do is find it.” Thor replied.

“Huh. I can’t believe some human organization is becoming such a thorn in our side. I’d be impressed if they weren’t being such a nuisance. The altar should be here in the palace somewhere.” Loki said.

“Yes, that’s what Uncle Freyr thinks as well. I was waiting for you to wake up. Are you sure you’re alright?” Thor asked, still worried.

“Yes. yes. I’m fine. Actually I don’t feel tired, I just have a headache. I…..I don’t understand. My sedir should have been depleted.” Loki frowned.

“Uh….Uncle Freyr said your power has grown…..maybe that has something to do with…..you feeling better than you should…?” Thor wondered.

Loki sat up. He closed his eyes and searched for his sedir core. He could feel his connection to Yggdrasil had strengthened and expanded. It had been a stream before, it was a river now. He wondered just how much power he had gained. He must have subconsciously reached out to Yggdrasil when Heimdall threw that spell on him and the soul bond helped his body assimilate with it.

“I….I think….I…” Loki thought about it. He closed his eyes and reached out with his third eye. He could feel it. The thin branches of Yggdrasil connecting everything. Loki opened his eyes. Huh. Well this was unexpected not unwelcome.

“Lo? What is it?” Thor asked.

Loki shook his head, “Nothing. I need to think about it. I can’t be sure. I think my connection to Yggdrasil has deepened. I’m not sure what that means yet…”

“Oh. When….when Heimdall attacked us I felt your pain…..but I also felt your sedir reach out for mine. For a moment it was like….like…” Thor trailed off unsure how to express himself.

“Like we were one person…..” Loki finished. “Like you couldn’t tell where you ended and I began….yes I felt like that too….”

Loki looked at his hands that were still blue. “I don’t feel uncomfortable like this anymore. I used to….but now I can’t remember why….”

Thor covered Loki’s hands with his own. “Of course you don’t feel uncomfortable, there is nothing to feel uncomfortable about. This is you as much as your Aesir form or your female form.”

“Yes…..it took me a long time to realize that…..so…..the council of the Nine will proceed as planned?” Loki asked. 

“Yes” Thor nodded. “Uncle Freyr held a private meeting with all the other rulers. That’s when he found out Zaaroc can’t find the scepter. They are all coming here. The palace is going to be teeming with people by nightfall. Of course everyone arriving is well aware you are Ilvana. It should be interesting to see the Council’s reaction when they realize the rest of the rulers are altogether too happy to have you back.”

Loki grinned. “Can I please have someone on the sidelines paint a picture? We can hang it there on the wall.”

Thor smiled at Loki fondly. It had been a long time since Loki caused some mischief and Thor found he had missed this side of Loki. “Sure. But we’re not hanging it in our bedroom, Lo.”

Loki pouted. “Fine. I am going to go make arrangements to receive our guests and go see if Uncle Freyr wants anything. The poor man comes to Asgard after centuries and is thrown into the drama without a proper hello.”

Loki hopped out of bed and was about to leave when Thor caught his wrist. “Um….aren’t you forgetting something?”

Loki frowned. Thor held Loki’s hand up in the light. It was still blue. Loki blushed. “Oh right. The guards don’t know I am Loki.” He shifted to the form of Ilvana though she looked uncomfortable in it. Loki never liked it when she was forced to stay in one form. 

Thor used the hand still in his grip and pulled Loki in for a kiss. “Just a little longer, love. I promise soon you will be able to be in whatever form you desire.”

Loki smiled at him. “I know. You get ready too. We’ll receive the guests together.”

Thor nodded. Loki left a skip in her step. Thor smiled after her. He really hoped the Council got over their differences with Loki. Thor didn’t want to see Loki fight for a place that belonged to her.

**King Freyr’s Room, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

“Uncle!” Loki called out as she stepped into Freyr’s room and shut the door behind herself. Freyr looked up from beside the fireplace, where he was reading a book.

“Ah Loki! You’re awake. How do you feel?” Freyr smiled at his nephew/niece.

“I feel great! I had a headache but it’s gone now. I’ve never felt more alive! I can feel everything!” Loki exclaimed.

Through his third eye, Freyr saw that Loki was channeling huge amounts of sedir. She didn’t seem affected by it. Freyr was not surprised. Like Hela, Loki had always been specially gifted in sedir, surpassing her tutors from a young age.

“Loki. Be careful. Remember power is useful only when you are able to control it.” Freyr reminded her.

Loki huffed and sat down in front of Freyr. “Yes. yes. I know. I have it under control. Everyone is coming here! I haven’t seen Zaaroc in so long. And I can’t wait to show mother around.”

It took a moment for Freyr to parse that Loki was referring to Farbauti when she said mother. It seems Loki had embraced her Jotun heritage fully. That was…...good. Freyr hoped it would not pull Loki away from them. He still considered Loki a part of his family.

“Yes. It has been centuries since any Jotun has visited Asgard. There are many things that have changed. But be careful, the people might not be as welcoming as they would normally be.” Freyr cautioned.

Loki sighed. “I know. But I like to think there are people on Asgard that still remember the Jotun. I don’t think it will be as bad as we are expecting. Have you talked to her? When will she get here?”

“Farbauti has decided to be the last one to arrive. It is best to have the other rulers here first. You should send a notice of the Council of the Nine to the people. It is best for them to have some warning before the Jotun show up. We don’t want a fight” Freyr pointed out.

“I thought the council had taken over control for all these things. Where are they anyways?” Loki asked.

“They are in the dining hall since the council room is destroyed. I think they are still in shock over everything. You might want to keep an eye on them Loki. They are not entirely on our side yet.” Freyr replied.

“They will be. Once Hela is here the council will have no choice but to support us. Unless they wish for Asgard to become a democracy. I don’t think the people are ready for that.” Loki said confidently.

Freyr looked at her. “Loki…...I have wanted to ask this for a while…...what happened when you fell in the void?”

Loki stiffened, “It’s…...not important. You know I think I’ll see about that notice now. See you later, uncle.”

Loki left before Freyr could say anything more. Freyr frowned after her. Loki looked scared. Whatever happened in the void clearly still affected her. Freyr wished Loki would share what had happened to her. It could help her heal. He sighed. He had a feeling one of these days Loki would no longer be able to avoid this conversation.

Loki went to the gardens. The palace walls felt too restrictive. She took deep breaths to calm herself. She didn’t want Thor to notice the change in her mood. Loki looked up. The sun was high in the sky now. She had no idea how much she would miss it till she had fallen in the darkness of the void. Loki shuddered as she remembered the Other. That creature was dead. She was sure of it. She had felt the hooks that thing had put in her mind fall off. Something to thank Dr. Stark for. He had unknowingly killed that foul creature and freed Loki. Still the memory lingered. On most days Loki could ignore it. The bond helped. It made her feel safe. 

“Lady Ilvana?” Loki turned. It was Armod. “Are you alright My Lady?”

Loki ran a hand through her hair. “Um…..yes….yes I’m alright…..wait Armod…..has the council sent any notice to the people? Once the Council of the Nine commences the Royal Court will not be able to hear petitions till it has ended.”

Armod shook his head. “No My Lady. No notice has been sent to the people. If you don’t mind me asking…..how was…..how was Jotunheim?”

Loki smiled at Armod. “I don’t mind you asking. In fact you should never hesitate in asking anything to me or His Grace. Jotunheim was…..different. Like the moon to Asgard’s sun. It’s beautiful in its own way.”

“She really was Jotun wasn’t she? Queen Bestla….she was really Jotun….” Armod looked like he didn’t know how to react to that.

Loki sighed. “Yes….she was. I wonder why King Odin chose to hide this….”

“I don’t feel any different about King Thor. I thought I would. I feel like I should….but I don’t” Armod looked down.

Loki shook her head. “Why would you feel different Armod? Thor is the same person he was yesterday. He hasn’t changed suddenly just because he maybe has Jotun blood running through his veins. Armod…...I think you should take the day off. Let everything sink in. Clear your mind. Go on….”

Armod nodded at Loki gratefully. “Thank you Lady Ilvana. I think I need it….”

Armod left looking confused but relieved that he didn’t have to continue his duties for the day. Loki decided to draft a notice and send someone to the Central Market with it. The other guards all looked unsure. Loki remembered there was still a huge chunk of mural on the floor of the throne room. They should probably clear that. 

As Loki passed the dining hall she heard the council members arguing. Not too loudly but loud enough that Loki could hear them. She noticed that there were no guards in the hallway. The council must have asked them to give them privacy.

“We can’t allow Prince Loki to roam freely like this!”

“But King Thor has a soul bond to him. How can we protest against a soul bond?”

“Didn’t King Thor say he was controlled when he attacked Midgard? And be reasonable Sten in the light of everything we have discovered it is hardly a shock that Prince Loki turned against King Odin.”

“Do you really believe Hela is King Odin’s firstborn? What if this is all a plot the Jotun have concocted?”

“Oh really?! Was that mural planted by the Jotun? When? How? No that mural is real and it has always been there. I have never met Princess Hela so I cannot say what kind of person she is but it is clear that she helped King Odin during the wars.”

“And what about King Freyr’s statement? Do you really think King Odin is capable of killing an unborn child Tyr?”

“I do not know. Till yesterday I would not have thought him capable of it but now….I just don’t know….”

“Prince Loki is one of us. He was raised here. It is true that the past few years he has been…...troubled but who can blame him? King Odin did not make it easy for him. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to find out that he was Jotun”

“Can we just focus on the Council of the Nine for now? We need to hear what the other rulers have to say. Perhaps Queen Farbauti will want Prince Loki to go with her and live on Jotunheim. Remember she is not yet aware Prince Loki is her lost child.”

“Ah yes. I am not looking forward to telling her that. I hope our walls survive the anger Queen Farbauti is most likely going to be expressing.”

Loki backed away from the door of the dining hall. It was clear that not all of the council members were happy with her return but there was little they were going to be able to do about it. Loki wondered if Thor would leave Asgard if the council refused to accept her. Where would they even go? Loki didn’t think Thor would be happy anywhere else. He loved the people too much. 

Loki shook her head. She was getting ahead of herself. They had to get through the Council of Nine first. She made her way to the inner throne room and drafted a notice for the people putting Thor’s seal on it. Loki handed it to one of the guards and instructed them to have it read in the Central Market then she worked with Ingrid to arrange rooms for all the visiting dignitaries.

Thor found her knee deep in cutlery, looking for plates big enough for the Jotun to eat in. They didn’t have any. “Lo-Ilvana? What are you doing?”

Loki looked up, “Apparently we do not have cutlery big enough for the Jotun. The beds I managed but this is too small for even Jarnsaxa.” Loki held up a teacup to demonstrate.

Thor walked up to her. “Maybe we can relay this to Queen Farbauti and have her bring her own cutlery?”

Loki scrunched up her nose. “Thor! We can’t do that! It’s so rude! No, we have to make arrangements. This will be the first visit from Jotunheim in centuries! Everything has to be perfect!”

Thor tilted his head, “You’re really excited about this aren’t you? To be honest I am too. I can’t wait. I see that you already sent a notice to the people. Any feedback yet?”

Loki nodded. “One of the guards said Fandral expressed concerns over the security of the people should the Jotun be allowed in the city. He assured them that the Jotun come in peace. But we’ll see how it goes.”

Thor nodded. Just then a guard came in. “The delegation from Vanaheim has arrived, Your Grace, My Lady. The Council requests your presence to welcome them. They are in the throne room.”

“Thank you. We will be there promptly.” Thor held out his arm for Loki to take. Together they made their way to the throne room. The rubble had been pushed to the side. The old-new mural made the throne room look less welcoming. It was just the council member in the throne room. They seemed to have decided to keep the guards away for now.

Loki eyed the council but chose to ignore them as Freya came in with her retinue. Loki smiled at her Aunt. 

Freya did not hesitate to step up and hug Loki and then Thor. “Loki, Thor. It is nice to see you.”

“You were aware, Ilvana was Loki all along?” Lord Sten asked.

Freya raised one eyebrow. “Well of course My Lord. Or have you forgotten where Ilvana was supposed to be from?” Freya turned to Thor dismissing Lord Sten. “Thor can you direct me to Freyr’s room? I would like to stay there.”

Thor smiled “Yes of course Aunt. He’s in the room near the library. Come on I’ll take you there.” 

Thor went ahead with Freya, Loki made to go with them but Lord Sten stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Loki looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

“I do not know what you are up to but I don’t believe your intentions to be completely honest….” Lord Sten said.

Loki shrugged Sten’s hand off her shoulder. “Believe whatever you want. It won’t change the truth. You think I'm dishonest?” Loki pointed at the ceiling. “What about him? Stop putting all the blame on me. All I want is for the people to see Odin’s true face. It is not my fault that his true face is so horrific”

Loki stomped out of the throne room. Idiots! The lot of them! They still thought Loki was up to no good?! Even when it was clear that Odin had been the one who hid things!

“Come on darling that frown doesn’t suit you. Don’t let those idiots get to you” A voice said from behind. 

Loki turned. It was Zaaroc. Loki perked up. “Zaaroc! When did you get here?”

Zaaroc smiled and hugged her. “Just now actually. I had to go back home and set a few things in order before coming here. I’m not late am I?”

“No.” Loki sighed. “Only Freyr and Freya have arrived. I have already sent a notice to the people that we will have visitors from Jotunheim. I have no idea how they are taking it.”

“It’s a bit of a mixed opinion.” Zaaroc said. “I was in the market earlier. For some reason they think the Jotun are going to steal their children? I don’t know the Aesir are odd”

“There is actually a folk tale that the Jotun hunt down naughty children at night” Loki informed.

“Seriously?! Ugh! Well let’s hope this Council we are conducting can put these stupid stories to rest. Now where’s that oaf you claim to love so much?” Zaaroc asked

Loki punched his arm. “I don’t claim to love. I actually do. He’s showing Freya her rooms or rather the rooms she and Freyr will be living in.”

“Great! I’m in the room next to yours aren’t I?” Zaaroc asked.

Loki smirked “Of course. I’ll change the spell on our door so you’ll be able to open it too.”

“Wonderful! I’ll be sure to interrupt when Thor least expects it” Zaaroc smiled 

Loki shook her head. “Come on. Help me pick out cutlery for the Jotun. I asked Thor but he suggested we ask mother to bring her own cutlery.”

“You can’t do that. It’s rude” Zaaroc replied.

“I know right! That’s what I said!” Loki exclaimed. 

They both walked down the hall discussing the arrangements.

TBC….


	19. The Good People of Asgard (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strigr is hopeful, Armod has an existential crisis, Fandral just wants peace and the people of Asgard witness a rare sight

**Stigr’s Inn, Central Market, Asgard**

Stigr watched as Armod, one of the palace guards drank his third tumbler of Ale. Armod was not a big drinker. He preferred to be sober as he took his job very seriously. So it was concerning when the man kept drinking non-stop. Especially since it was ten in the morning.

Stigr made his way over to Armod, “Hey Armod. Are you alright?”

Armod looked up, a little drunk but still somewhat lucid. “Yes….I….I’m fine. I….just….it has been a few hard days…..that’s all.”

Stigr nodded, “Yes….I still can’t believe Heimdall would plot to kidnap King Thor’s mate.”

Armod snorted. “Oh you wouldn’t believe the things people are capable of.” Armod leaned towards Stigr “You’ve been here a long time haven’t you Stigr?”

Stigr nodded, not sure where this was going. Armod bit his lip. “Have you…..do you remember if…...have you ever seen a Jotun in Asgard? I mean visiting Asgard? You know peacefully…..”

Stigr frowned. For a moment he wondered if Armod knew about Gróa but the poor lad looked lost. Maybe King Thor had proposed a trade with the Jotun and Armod wasn’t sure how to react. Stigr could use this opportunity.

“I never tell anyone this…...but yes…..I do remember a time when the Jotun used to come here for the winter harvest. It was a long time ago. I was a young lad back then” Stigr whispered careful that no one else overheard them.

Armod looked at him with wide eyes. “Really! And you’ve seen them? Jotun? Do they really eat raw meat like books say?”

Stigr shook his head. Honestly. “No…..absolutely not. They actually have very delicate palates and prefer less spices as compared to us. But they don’t eat raw meat. Don’t believe those old wives’ tales. Yes they are big and blue but they are a part of the Nine. The Norns made them same as they made you and me”

Armod nodded “That makes sense. I mean…...I’ve never seen a Jotun so I wouldn’t know, would I? I wonder what other rumors are a lie…...do you….do you ever wonder if maybe we should be allowed to ask these questions to the king?”

Stigr sighed. “Aye. I wish we could ask these questions to the King. But King Odin was not very approachable.”

“King Thor’s not like that.” Armod said drinking more Ale. “He’s nice...er. He’s nicer. I think he wouldn’t be angry if we asked him these questions. I think we should.” Armod stood up “You know what Stigr I will take your leave now. I have questions. Thank you for listening.” 

Armod put a few gold coins on the table to pay for the Ale and left, stumbling only a little. Stigr really hoped he didn’t ask King Thor something inappropriate. He sighed collecting the empty tumblers. But Armod had been curious about the Jotun. With the census in progress and now Armod coming here all confused. Perhaps King Thor was curious about the Jotun too. Stigr really hoped so. It was about damn time the people remembered their past. 

**A Merchant’s Shop, Central Market, Asgard.**

Fandral picked up a necklace and wondered if Ingrid would like it. He liked Ingrid. He thought she was a wonderful woman if a little stern at times. The last few weeks had taught Fandral that it was best to let his friendship with Thor go. Norns knew Sif and Volstagg had ruined things irrevocably. Fandral realized that he had never been a true friend to Thor. He had only tagged along for the privileges that came with being the Prince’s friend. And then there was that debacle over Ilavan. Thor didn’t have to let Fandral go so easily but he had. So really the least Fandral could do was leave Thor alone and make an honest living. 

The Council of the Nine was about to begin. Ingrid would be free, maybe she’ll agree to have dinner with Fandral. He had seen Queen Freya come with her retinue earlier. Since then the dwarves had also arrived. But these were not the visitors Fandral was interested in. He was waiting for the Jotun to arrive.

There had been a lot of commotion in the market when the guards had announced that Jotunheim would also be participating in the Council of the Nine. Orders had been given that any disrespect towards the Jotun would be treated as a serious crime. Fandral had asked the guards how safe it was to let the Jotun in Asgard. But his pleas had been brushed off stating that the Jotun were coming in peace.

There was a clear unrest among the people since then but they were trying to be as normal as they could. But Fandral had seen some warriors spread out in the market, presumably to ensure the Jotun did not do anything untoward. Fandral had been doing his best to ignore them. He didn’t want a fight. He had just gotten into the army officially. He just wanted to be a good soldier, maybe woo Ingrid and live a peaceful life. 

**Healing Rooms, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Lady Eir arranged her potions in order of their potency. She heard someone stumble through the door. It was Armod. He looked a little drunk. That was odd Armod was one of the more level headed guards in the palace. He took his duty seriously.

“Armod? Can I help you with something?” Eir asked when Armod started looking around clearly confused.

“Isn’t this King Thor’s room? What are you doing here My Lady?” Armod asked, head tilted.

Eir sighed. She led Armod to a chair and forced him to sit down. “Oh Armod. I thought you didn’t like drinking like the rest of them. What happened?”

Armod hiccupped. “Didn’t you see that room Lady Eir? And that spell? Do you think we all descended from the Jotun? What if we got it all wrong? What if we’re the monsters not them?”

Poor Armod. He wasn’t handling the discovery of Bestla’s room well. He probably had some Jotun blood in him. He had been able to see the spell after all. 

Eir sat down beside Armod. “I don’t know. I don’t think people are born monsters. I think they choose it. I think their actions make them monstrous.”

“What if the actions of our ancestors were monstrous? Do you think we’ll pay for it? Do you think our children will pay for it?” Armod wondered.

“I hope not.” Eir replied. “I don’t want our children to pay for the mistakes we or the mistakes our forefathers made.”

“I wonder…….if I have a Jotun ancestor. All this time I have hated my own blood. How can the Norns grant me Valhalla with my forefathers if all I ever did was disrespect them? Do Jotuns even go to Valhalla?” Armod asked.

Eir shrugged. “I don’t know. I have no idea. I’ve never asked.” Eir got up and fetched a vial from her work table. “Here take this potion. It will help with the headache.”

Armod took the vial from Eir. “Thank you Lady Eir. I suppose I should siber up now. I was supposed to take the day off. But I find I don’t want to. I’d rather welcome the Jotun retinue coming in the evening.”

Eir nodded. “That is an excellent idea Armod. It would be better. For what it’s worth I don’t think it’s too late. We’re still alive. Perhaps we can please our ancestors yet. Jotun or otherwise.”

Armod nodded gratefully, acknowledging Eir’s words and stumbled out. Eir sighed and sat back down. If the palace guard was so shaken she shuddered thinking how the common people were going to react.

**Sometime in the Evening, Central Market, Asgard.**

Evening saw a sight not seen in Asgard for many centuries. The people all watched the retinue pass with wide eyes, murmuring among themselves, many eyeing the retinue with suspicion and even outright hatred.  


Queen Farbauti came with General Thrym and High Priestess Jarnsaxa and a few of her soldiers. She wore her usual leathers. The weather of Asgard was warm and she did not need her cloak here. She came riding a frost beast. The soldiers with her were as tall as some of the houses and wore black metal armor. The only thing that stood out was Dana who was in Thrym’s arms and looking at everything curiously.

The people looked confused as soon as their eyes fell on her. Farbauti pursed her lips to hold in her smile. She had debated a lot but ultimately decided to bring Dana with her. She was a rare sight for the Aesir. They no doubt thought the Jotun were born fully grown. Farbauti saw the palace draw closer. She had not spent as much time here as Laufey but she still remembered it. It used to be made of stone and marble. It was covered in gold now. Gold stolen from other realms.

The guards in the palace looked at her and her companions warily. But one of them stepped forward and bowed. “Your Grace. I am Armod, the Captain of King Thor’s personal guard. Welcome to Asgard. His Grace awaits you in the throne room. I shall escort you there.”

Farbauti looked at the guard. He had Jotun blood, this one. Farbauti could clearly see the faint connection of sedir going from Armod to Yggdrasil. She wondered if the man knew about it. Most likely not.

Farbauti dismounted, Beli her frost beast. “Well met, Armod. Lead the way.”

Farbauti walked up the steps of the palace. It was good to be here. Soon….soon she will have her justice.

TBC….


	20. The Council of the Nine (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The council of Asgard realizes they are outnumbered, Zaaroc has the idea of a lifetime and Thor is the God of Thunder

**Thor’s Private Chambers, Royal Palace of Asgard**.

Thor stood in front of the mirror and fixed his cape. Loki stood beside him in the form of Ilvana. They had already talked with Farbauti and planned to reveal Loki’s true form during the council. They had to. The council of Asgard needed to see that the other realms supported Loki. Thor had very reluctantly retrieved Mjolnir from Bestla’s room and decided to carry it with him today. He brushed a hand over his clothes again.

“Oh stop it! You look great.” Loki stopped Thor from nervously undoing and doing the buttons on his tunic.

“Yeah…..I’m just…..nervous.” Thor replied facing Loki.

Loki bit her lip. “I am nervous too. But we have to do this. The sooner the better….”

Thor sighed. “I know. It’s just….what if the people don’t want to accept what we have to say?”

“Then we’ll deal with it together. First we need to convince the council to back us fully.” Loki replied.

“Yeah and if that doesn’t work out let’s just casually drop them over the Bifrost bridge. Just say the word.” Zaaroc said from the door, making Thor jump and almost crash into the mirror.

“What the hel?!! How did you get in here?!!” Thor held a hand over his heart to calm his heartbeat.

“I did this amazing action of turning the knob and opening the door.” Zaaroc demonstrated by pushing the door closed and opening it again.

Thor glared at him. “I know how the door works! I mean how did you get past Loki’s spell.”

Loki blinked up at him with wide eyes. “Oh yes. I forgot to tell you. I made a minor modification to allow Zaaroc to open the door.”

Thor looked at Loki’s faux innocent expression and Zaaroc’s too wide smile with narrowed eyes. “I think I’m going to leave now. Since I clearly can’t trust anyone here.”

Zaaroc snorted, “Oh please. I wish I could still use my phone though. Your expression was priceless!”

“Leaving!” Thor stomped out of the room. Loki and Zaaroc looked at each other, then burst out laughing. It was always fun to prank Thor. At least he had momentarily forgotten his nerves.

“Well that is probably the last bit of fun we’re going to have for a while.” Zaaroc sighed.

Loki’s shoulders slumped, “You are probably right. I wanted to go look for that altar Freyr believes is somewhere in the palace but everybody arrived yesterday and I have to constantly engage mother in conversation to stop the guards from glaring at her. They are all very confused by Dana’s presence though.”

“Why? She’s a child. What’s so confusing about that? Do they really believe the Jotun come out fully formed?” Zaaroc wondered.

Loki snorted. “Yes. Actually. Along with believing that they eat raw meat apparently. The cook had the gall to ask me if mother wanted her steak raw.”

“Damn. They’re not going to take the whole being descendents of the Jotun thing very well are they?” Zaaroc asked.

Loki winced, “Probably not…...That’s why I suggested a census. We are almost done. Literally the entire army helped in collecting the data. More than half of the people seem to have at least one Jotun in their family. The results will be posted while the Council is ongoing. It will keep the people occupied. That way we can hopefully ease into it. Search out a secret a path for making a hasty escape just in case though”

“Will do. Now come on. Let’s go before Thor’s nerves get the better of him again.” Zaaroc motioned to the door.

They both made their way to the stables where Thor had gotten on his horse but hadn’t left yet, obviously waiting for Loki. Zaaroc spotted a guard looking a little troubled. He recognized this one. It was Armod. Zaaroc had talked to Lady Eir who had mentioned Armod was shaken by everything that had occurred these past few days. Zaaroc had an idea.

Loki had also mounted her horse. Zaaroc nodded at her and Thor, “Why don’t you both go ahead. I’ll join you. I just remembered I forgot something.”

Loki frowned but Thor nodded. “Very well. Don’t take too much time. Your presence is needed as well.” He and Loki left.

Zaaroc went over to Armod. “Hello. You’re Armod right?”

Armod looked at Zaaroc, “Commander Zaaroc? Yes…..I am Armod.”

Zaaroc nodded. “You were the one who found Queen Bestla’s room right? How did you know it was there? Aside from the giant hole in the wall that is.”

Armod looked sheepish. “I...uh….I could feel it? If that makes sense…...I felt it….like a sweet chime calling to me…..I don’t know how to explain it…..”

Zaaroc had been right. Armod had Jotun blood and it heard the call of the magic put on Bestla’s room. “No, I understood that perfectly. You saw the blueprint that was also found in that room, didn’t you?” Armod nodded. “You remember it?” Armod nodded again. “Good. I want you to do something for me…”

**City Hall, Central Market, Asgard.**

Thor and Loki dismounted and went to the City Hall. A huge round table had been set in the center of the Hall and all the other rulers including the council of Asgard were already seated at it. Thor and Loki took their seats between the Council and Farbauti with the council on Thor’s left and Farbauti on Loki’s right. Zaaroc’s seat was still empty.

Vili and Ve were also present. They still didn’t know about Loki. By unspoken rule Freyr took charge, since he was the most level headed amongst them all. Zaaroc came in at the last moment taking his seat beside Freya hurriedly.

Freyr stood up, “My Lords and Ladies, we are here today to discuss the very important matter of truths the Council of Asgard has discovered about King Odin. General Tyr will you be speaking on behalf of the Council today?”

Tyr nodded. “Yes. The council’s investigation is still ongoing. We have prepared a preliminary report and would like your input on certain matters. But before that…..we have a very important announcement to make….”

Lady Sigrid stood up, “My Lords, My Ladies…...in our ongoing investigation it has come to light that……..that Prince Loki was adopted by King Odin…….we have spoken to King Thor and he has given his statement that King Odin claims to have found Prince Loki abandoned in the temple of……...of Jotunheim. He brought him to Asgard and adopted him. The knowledge that he was Jotun was kept from us and King Thor and even Prince Loki till the…….events that lead to King Thor’s exile…..”

There were gasps around the table at that declaration from Farbauti, Svol and Etri. They had all agreed they were going to act as if they were hearing this for the first time.

“WHAT?!!” Farbauti exclaimed, banging her fist on the table, ice spreading outward from it. 

Lady Sigrid looked scared, “W-we s-swear, Y-Your G-Grace, w-we d-did n-not k-know h-he w-was y-your s-son…..”

Farbauti knew that of course but she glared at Sigrid. She didn’t have to fake the anger she felt. “You are telling that my child…...the child I thought dead for centuries lives? My child….my child was here the whole time? Do you understand how many years I spent mourning him and…….and he was here the whole time?”

All of the council members looked down ashamed. What could they say to that? There was no excuse that justified Odin’s actions. They were wrong, that was all there was to it.

Lady Sigrid hesitated but forged on. “The council understands that there is nothing we can say or do that will justify King Odin’s actions. We are not asking you to let it go Your Grace…..but please….we implore you to show us mercy….”

Farbauti scoffed. “Mercy? Like your King showed my child mercy? Do you think I do not know what goes on in the Nine realms? I have heard the punishment King Odin gave to Prince Loki…..to  **my child** . What right did he have to judge the Prince of Jotunheim? By what law did he sentence my child? I want an answer! I want my child back! Can you do that?!!!”

Thor spoke in between as they had planned. “You are right, Your Grace, fa-Odin had no right to pass judgement on Loki. And I….we cannot take that back. I cannot undo the past, only the future. I….a few months after Loki’s death I came to be in the possession of a ring he had forged for me. The ring was imbued with his sedir and…...a piece of his soul. It…..formed a mental link between me and Loki who was in Helheim.”

Farbauti gripped Thor’s hand. The guards stepped forward at that but looked confused when Farbauti’s touch did not hurt Thor. “Can you speak with him? Can you sense his soul?”

Thor nodded. “I could. The bond put a strain on Loki as it had to be maintained through the barrier between the living and the dead. Over time it became more and more difficult to maintain it….So I suggested we deepen it…..turn it from a plain mental link to a soul bond….”

“But a soul bond would mean…...a soul bond would try to pull both souls in the same plane of existence…..you are still here….that means…” Thrym trailed off.

Thor nodded and looked at Ilvana “Yes….the soul bond strives to pull both souls in the same plane of existence. I retrieved Loki’s body from his grave and when the bond formed I pulled Loki’s soul from Helheim to Midgard which is where I was at the time. Zaaroc helped me tie Loki's soul back to his body….”

“Does this mean…..Are you saying Prince Loki lives?” Svol asked

Loki dropped the form of Ilvana, revealing himself. “Yes indeed King Svol I live.”

There were gasps again though only Vili and Ve and the guards were truly shocked. The rest had known Loki was alive.

Farbauti let go of Thor’s hand and looked at Loki, she reached her hand out and drew a finger over Loki’s forehead where she knew his Jotun marks were. At Farbauti’s touch Loki allowed his Jotun form to take over, leaving no doubt that he was indeed Jotun. From the corner of his eyes he looked at guards, who were shell shocked. There was no going back from this. The guards were no doubt going to tell others. With the results of the ongoing census being put up right now, Loki expected Asgard to be in uproar by evening.

“Loki…..” Vili stammered. “You’re alive…...then all this time…..Ilvana…..it was you all this time…..”

Loki focused on Vili, “Yes. It was me all along. I apologize for the ruse. But it was necessary. I know what Asgard thinks of me. My bond to Thor had just been formed. I could not afford to be separated from him.”

Etri smiled at Loki. “It is good to see that you live Prince Loki. Your loss brought us sorrow.”

“Indeed”, Svol agreed. “We thank the Norns that they have restored you to us, Prince Loki.”

“I must admit…..even though we are not blood I still consider you family Loki. It gives me joy to see you live.” Freyr gave his own opinion.

The council members all looked at each other. Loki was well aware that they had expected outrage from the other rulers not joy. Loki hoped they realized that Asgard’s opinion of Loki was just that.  **Asgard’s** opinion. The rest of the realms did not share it.

“My child…..” Farbauti “Is it true what King Thor says about the soul bond?”

“Yes.” Loki held up his right palm for Farbauti to examine. Even with his blue skin the red infinity mark was easily visible. “We are bonded.” 

“This is good news indeed! Congratulations King Thor, Prince Loki” Etri smiled at them.

“Is there any other matter you wished to discuss General Tyr?” Svol asked. “If not. We should celebrate Prince Loki’s return.”

General Tyr looked taken aback by that. He cleared his throat. “Uh…..yes we do have another matter to discuss.” Tyr looked down at his notes. “Aside from discovering Prince Loki’s heritage. We have also discovered….um that King Odin was previously married to Angrboda, sister of King Laufey…..and that he had a child with her Hela.”

“Ah. Yes. We remember Princess Hela. If that is what you are asking.” Etri spoke up. “We can testify that King Odin was indeed married to Angrboda of Jotunheim.”

“Muspelheim can never forget Princess Hela. It was our late queen, Queen Dykn who helped Princess Hela reforge her sedir channels” Svol added.

Lord Sten looked at Etri and Svol in disbelief. “If you have known about her all along….why did you never say anything?”

Etri scoffed. “Say anything? If we had so much as hinted at her Odin would have turned the Bifrost on us. He made it abundantly clear with his destruction of Jotunheim that he cared not for how much blood he shed as long as he got what he wanted.”

Lord Sten narrowed his eyes. “And how do we believe you speak the truth? Perhaps you are all conspiring against King Odin! Everybody knows the Jotun cannot be trusted!”

Thrym banged his fist on the table, “We are conspiring?!! Your precious King kidnapped our Crown Prince and you dare accuse us of conspiring!”

“The only reason we have not spoken before now is because my sister was here. A queen only in name. She was a captive! Odin would have hurt her if I ever spoke against him.” Freyr said angrily

General Tyr chastised Sten. “Lord Sten please we are here because we wish to hear what the other rulers have to say. Please don’t throw accusations like this. It is clear that we are not aware of everything that has transpired between King Odin and the other rulers.”

“But…..how can we believe this Tyr?!! Even if King Odin hid his first marriage…….maybe he had a good reason for it.” Lord Sten argued.

Zaaroc snorted. “Good reason? Yeah right. Hiding the truth of the murders he committed is a good reason I suppose.”

Lord Sten narrowed his eyes. “Why are  **you** here anyways, Commander Zaaroc? King Freyr represents Alfheim not you.”

“Commander Zaaroc is here because he is my heir.” Freyr interjected. “And which person of Alfheim is and isn’t supposed to be at this Council is my concern not yours, Lord Sten.”

“By what claim has Commander Zaaroc been chosen as heir for Alfheim?” Lord Sten refused to let it go. Zaaroc was well aware how much the Aesir disliked him. Mostly because he rarely put up with their nonsense.

“By the fact that he is the son of late King Vuco. He is the heir to the throne by birthright” Freya glared at Sten.

“Oh you truly are clever Freyr! You hid him in plain sight!” Thrym exclaimed.

“Hid who in plain sight? Lord Vili did say King Vuco was married to Queen Frigga. But he said he was not sure if a child was ever born of the union.” Lady Sigrid asked, confused.

“Very few people knew Frigga was pregnant.” Freya explained. “She fled to Midgard because she knew it would be the last place anyone would think to look for her. Zaaroc was born there. After things settled we brought him back to Alfheim and claimed he was the son of our late cousin who had perished in the war. Odin is not aware that Vuco’s child lives. But that is not the point. Regardless of whose child Zaaroc is, Asgard has no right to demand an explanation from Freyr on who ascends to Alfheim’s throne.”

“And that is the whole argument Lord Sten. Asgard has no right to decide what the other realms do.  **You do not command us** .” Svol grit out.

“At least not anymore. We refuse to bow to King Odin or any King of Asgard anymore. We and our people are free beings. Our land was given to us by the Norns not by Asgard. We will bow before you no more.” Etri declared.

There was a murmur of agreement around the table. “Indeed. If anything Asgard owes us reparation for the crimes King Odin has committed against us.” Farbauti pointed at Loki. “Like the fact that Odin stole my child and raised him to hate his own people!”

The council of Asgard was backed into a corner. What could they say? They could not declare all the rulers as liars not when it was clear that the other realms were willing to unite against Asgard. A war where all the other realms banded against Asgard was not a war Asgard could win. They all looked at Thor, hoping he would intervene for them.

Thor stood up, “My fellow Kings and Queens. I agree with what you have said. It is high time Asgard realizes that it does not rule over all. I understand your grievance with my father and with the Aesir. Therefore as King of Asgard, I declare that from here on forth the realms are free. Asgard does not…..cannot claim to rule over them. I command all that all soldiers return and that all Asgardian outposts be removed from Alfheim, Vanaheim, Muspelheim and Nidavillr. I cannot return the Casket to Jotunheim for it is lost. But I declare all charges against Prince Loki null and void. His actions against Asgard were a result of the poison fed by King Odin and thus he is absolved of them. He is free to return to his home and shall not be beholden to Asgard anymore. Furthermore I command the Council of Asgard that all things stolen from the realms be returned to them. Open the archives! Bring out the old scrolls and let the Aesir acknowledge the truth! As a sign of this I return to King Etri the weapon, Mjolnir forged for my sister Hela”

Thor held out Mjolnir towards Etri for him to take. But Etri shook his head. “No Your Grace. Mjolnir was given in goodwill. I will not take it back. It is more than just a weapon. It is a tool that can be used to build. Let it stand as a witness that we are willing to bury the past and build a better future.”

“Yes indeed King Thor. We do not hold you to the crimes of your father. They belong to him and him alone.  **He** will answer for them, not you.” Farbauti agreed.

“How?” General Tyr questioned. “King Odin sleeps. We cannot say when he will awaken or even if he will awaken. And for the trial we still need more than spoken words as proof.”

“I have documents proving Frigga’s marriage to King Vuco as well as a letter written in her hand acknowledging Zaaroc as her son.” Freyr said.

“We have records of the correspondence between King Odin and Queen Dykn that prove King Odin asked her to come to Asgard and help his daughter Princess Hela.” Svol gave his own input.

“Queen Bestla’s grave is in Jotunheim. You are welcome to visit it and see her bones for yourself. A lot of our records were destroyed in the war with Asgard. But we still have documents of correspondence between Laufey and King Bor when he asked for Princess Angrboda’s hand in marriage for his Odin.” Farbauti informed.

“You prepare for the trial. We will bring the proof in due time.” Freya said.

At that moment Armod came in, covered in dust. He looked at everyone seated at the table. Doing a double take and gaping in surprise when he saw Loki. 

“Armod. What happened to you? Why are you covered in dust?” Thor asked.

“Uh….Commander Zaaroc sent me on an errand.” Armod explained. “He wanted me to find a hidden altar room in the palace. I remembered the old blueprint found in Queen Bestla’s room so….”

“And you just obeyed him?” General Tyr asked. “You should have informed me or King Thor!”

Thor waved a hand to dismiss Tyr. “No that’s fine! It’s not important. Tell me Armod did you find it?”

“Yes Your Grace. I found a room hidden beneath the vault. It has this strange altar and many potions and spell books in it.” Armod reported.

“Excellent work Armod! We must go there immediately. Lead the way. Svol can you please join us?” Thor got up to leave.

“Oh yes of course! I brought my foremost mage Aed with me. He should be able to undo the spell on the altar.” Svol said, also getting up.

“Take Jarnsaxa with you as well. She is most gifted in sedir.” Farbauti suggested.

“Will someone please explain what is going on?” Lord Njal asked, confused.

“Not now Lord Njal. I suggest we take a break and reconvene in the evening or tomorrow depending on how things go. I have ordered for the results of the census to be declared so I think we should all return to the palace before there is a mob outside.” Thor was already halfway out of the hall.

There was a murmur of agreement and everyone got up to leave. The council members seeing as they had no other choice got up as well. Outside the soldiers were putting up notices with the results of the census. People were gathering in groups reading it, some exclaiming in outrage. Thor and the other rulers along with the council hurried back to the palace.

In the vault Thor saw a huge hole in the middle where Armod presumably found the altar room. Svol’s mage Aed also came rushing in. Farbauti, Freyr, Etri and Freya alongwith Thrym and Zaaroc chose to stay outside the vault but the council members hurried in with Thor. Loki conjured a mage light and sent it down through the hole so they could see how deep it was.

Thor jumped down, followed by Svol, Aed, Jarnsaxa and Loki. The council members peered through the hole.

Inside there were two walls covered from floor to ceiling in shelves with books and potions and all sorts of paraphernalia. There was a black stone altar with black and red candles. The candles were somehow still burning though they should have gone out by now. On the altar there were two links of a black chain and even Thor who was untrained in sedir could feel it's dark power.

Loki stepped forward to pick the chain up but Aed stopped him. “No My Prince. The chain was offered by Odin. Only a person with his blood will be able to remove it from the altar. I sense spells preventing people from getting closer to the altar. There is a shield. You will not be able to cross it without using the blood of a descendant of Odin.”

Svol nodded, “Yes. There is one more thing to consider. Removing the chain and destroying it might wake Odin from his…..slumber. Breaking this altar will break the spells on it. That event can overpower the magic in the potions Freyr has given to Odin. Though destroying the chain will free Princess Hela. It is your choice.”

Loki and Thor looked at each other. It was a dilemma. On one hand Odin waking up could be very bad for them, on the other hand they couldn’t let Hela stay in Helheim when they had a way of bringing her back.

Thor looked at Aed. “What do I have to do to get past the shield? How do I destroy the chain?”

“Your blood. I will cast a spell to make the shield visible. Cut your palm and place it on the shield. It will sense you are the blood of Odin and let you in. To destroy the chain we need a huge amount of sedir and it has to come from you.” Aed explained. 

“And from where do I conjure huge amounts of sedir?” Thor asked

“Your lightning.” Jarnsaxa pointed out. “Your power over the skies comes from your sedir. Your lightning is a manifestation of it. You can use it to destroy the chain.”

Thor shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t control it. I cannot guarantee I will be able to control it if I summon it.”

Loki stepped forward, placing a hand on Thor’s cheek. “You can control it. You are the God of Thunder. Lightning runs through your veins. The skies are yours. They will obey you. I believe you. I have faith. You can do this. Don’t let anger fuel your power. Focus on me. Focus on our love.”

Loki summoned a dagger and pressed it to Thor’s palm making a cut. Aed murmured the spell and the shield surrounding the altar became visible. Thor didn’t break eye contact with Loki as he pressed his palm to the shield. Suddenly they were both near the altar.

Thor looked in Loki’s eyes and reached inside himself to that core of thunder that beat in him. He remembered the pain of losing Loki, the joy of having him return. The love he felt for Loki that grew everyday.

Farbauti looked at the sky as it suddenly darkened. “That is odd….”

Freyr stepped up beside her. “Thor…..it’s Thor…..”

In the vault the council members heard a rumble of thunder so loud the walls shook. They all rushed out, looking at the skies as well. Dark clouds swirled and it looked like there would be a storm. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled loudly. Even the guards abandoned their posts to watch the sky.

In the altar room, Thor’s eyes went white and lightning covered his forearms. Loki only smiled at him as a huge bolt of lightning struck the palace, breaking through the ceiling and directly hitting the altar, engulfing Thor and Loki. Jarnsaxa and Aed threw up shields to protect themselves and Svol. There was a loud sound as if the very ground had spilt. Cracks formed on the walls of the altar room and it began to shake.

“We have to get out!” Svol exclaimed. “The place is caving in!”

He and Aed jumped out of the opening. Jarnsaxa looked at the spot where Thor and Loki were still covered in lightning. “Thor! Loki! We need to leave!”

The wall behind Jarnsaxa cracked like an egg. She looked around, she had to leave or she would be buried under the debris. She jumped out of the opening as well. 

In the flood of lightning, Thor and Loki looked at each other. The lightning didn’t hurt Loki. It couldn’t. It was a part of Thor, his soul mate. Distantly Loki heard someone shouting but he was too engulfed in how Thor’s lightning felt to him. Vaguely he felt the walls shake around them. Loki ignored it. He reached out to his own sedir and twined it with Thor’s. It was euphoric. Distantly Loki sensed danger. He didn’t care. Whatever it was, it couldn’t hurt them. Together, him and Thor, they were unbeatable. Loki closed his eyes and let the feel of their combined sedir wash over him as it carried them away.

Outside the skies finally cleared. The council members and the other rulers all stood up from where they had crouched down to avoid any debris from falling on them. They all looked at each other then hurried into the vault. There was a huge hole in the ceiling of the vault where the lightning had pierced through. Svol, Jarnsaxa and Aed were peering through the hole in the floor. When the dust settled, Jarnsaxa created a mage light to see if Thor and Loki were still inside. 

They weren’t. The altar was a pile of ashes with smoke coming from it. The right wall had collapsed completely and caved in. All the potions had spilled on the floor and mixed together. The scrolls and books were strewn on the floor. But there was no sign of Thor or Loki.

“Where are they?!! What did you do?!!!” Tyr demanded grabbing Svol’s collar and shaking him.

“I didn’t do anything! They were engulfed by Thor’s lightning. I doubt anything has happened to them. Mayhaps they teleported out.” Svol freed himself from Tyr’s grip.

Tyr was about to demand more when a guard came rushing in.  “General Tyr! General Tyr! The people…...we put up the results of the census…..and the people read it…...they….they are angry general…...they demand to speak with the King…..they are on the verge of breaking the gates of the palace!”

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE NORNS IS HAPPENING!” Tyr screamed frustrated.

“Well I think Thor and Loki got lost in the barrage of Thor’s sedir and probably teleported out. Oh and the people are probably reacting to finding out that most of them have Jotun blood.” Zaaroc explained very unhelpfully.

Tyr looked at the guards looking at him scared and confused. “Well what are you waiting for?!! Go handle the mob!!! I have to find King Thor!!”

The guards scrambled to obey and Tyr chased after Thor and Loki, who were hopefully still somewhere in the palace.  


Zaaroc looked at the people still gathered in the vault. "So.....should we go check on King Odin? Isn't it possible he woke up if the altar is gone?"

Svol opened his mouth to answer that yes it was possible but stopped as a giant black portal opened in between them all.

TBC.....


	21. The Council of the Nine (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long awaited returns and grand speeches with a dash of magic......

**Inside the Black Castle, Helheim**

Hela sighed as she tossed another book over her shoulder. There was nothing here that could help her understand how to get out of Helheim. She knew she was being impatient but ever since Loki left Helheim, Hela had been anxious. She had suffered so much because of Odin. She didn’t want her brother or her cousin to suffer too. Hela would never be able to forgive herself if they died trying to get her out. 

“It’s alright Hela we will find the information we need.” Laufey consoled her.

“No….it’s not that. I’m worried about Thor and Loki. It has been several days since they allowed me in their dreamscape. I’m worried Uncle. What if something happened to them?” Hela sighed getting up.

“Nothing will happen to them,” Laufey reassured. “I am sure they’re being watched very closely that is all. They will let you in Hela. We must trust them. We have to.”

“I know. I just don’t want them to die because of me.” Hela stretched. “I am tired of being cooped up here. Let’s go outside.”

Laufey nodded in agreement. He and Hela went out to the gardens or what passed as a garden in Helheim anyways. The soil was black and the flowers were odd but Hela had grown used to it.

“What will you do?” Laufey asked. “After you are free I mean. Do you intend to take the throne? Technically it is yours first then Thor’s”

Hela bit her lip. “I don’t know. I have never thought that far. Loki said Thor was well liked by the people. A majority of them don’t even know I exist. Will they even accept me on the throne?”

“To be honest I do not know Hela. I have had limited experience with the Aesir these past centuries. I have no knowledge of the political landscape of Asgard.” Laufey admitted.

Hela frowned. “I don’t want to be bound to another realm. And yet who am I if not the Princess of Asgard.”

Laufey put a hand on her shoulder. “Well you are still my niece. You will always have a place in Jotunheim. Farbauti will welcome you with open arms.”

“Thank you uncle. It means a lot th-” Hela’s sentence cut off as she felt a burning sensation on her arms.

Laufey looked at her concerned. “Hela? Are you alright?”

Hela opened her mouth to respond but her body was overcome with seizures. She clawed at her arms, tearing her clothes to reveal the black chain embedded under her skin. It was burning.

“Hela!” Laufey kneeled beside his niece and tried to stop her from hurting herself.

“H-h-hurts” Hela gasped. The chain that Odin had bound her with burned, making her scream.

Laufey tried to use his ice magic to control the burning chain but it was no use. “Vidar! Vidar! Where are you?!”

Vidar who patrolled Helheim appeared through a portal, seeing Hela on the ground convulsing and Laufey desperately trying to figure out what was wrong. “What happened?”

Laufey shook his head. “I don’t know. We were talking and then suddenly Hela started screaming. It’s that thrice damned chain Odin bound her with!!”

Vidar knelt beside Hela and Laufey examining Hela. “King Laufey wait….the chain…..look”

Laufey focused on what Vidar was pointing at. He saw that the chain was burning. But it was actually disappearing. “They did it. They did it. Thor and Loki found a way to break the chain…..Hela…..Hela hold on….it’s going away! It’s going away!”

Vidar and Laufey held Hela as best as they could to stop her from hurting herself. After several long, painful minutes the chain was gone completely. Hela sat up panting and looked at her arms. “It’s gone! It’s gone!”

Laufey smiled at her broadly and hugged. “Yes. They did it. Thor and Loki kept their word. You are free.”

Hela hugged Laufey tightly as tears streamed down her face. She never thought she’d see this day come. Laufey pulled back. “Now we must not waste any time. You need to leave for Asgard. It is entirely possible that breaking the chain woke Odin from his coma. Loki and Thor would need your help.”

Hela wiped her tears. “You are right Uncle. I need to leave.” Hela paused. “You…..you cannot join me…..”

Laufey smiled sadly. “I know. I’m afraid this is where we part ways. Don’t be disheartened Hela. I’ve lived my life. This is my place now. I wish I had more time with Loki but I do not begrudge him or you, your freedom. Go. Bring Odin to justice for you and for me.”

Hela nodded. “I will. I promise I will not rest till Odin has been punished for all he has done.”

Hela turned to Vidar. “Vidar. I could not have asked for a more faithful companion. I will not forget your loyalty. Is there anyone in the living world you wish to be taken care of?”

Vidar nodded. “My daughter, Dana. General Thrym is my father-in-law. Nija his daughter is my wife. I would be grateful if you looked after them”

Hela smiled. “I will. Well I suppose this is it then. I hope I will see you both again one day.”

“A day very far away in the future” Laufey said pointedly.

Hela nodded. “Of course” She closed her eyes and reached out to her core using her connection to Yggdrasil to search out a path to Asgard. Previously this would be the time when the chain would flare up and stop Hela but now nothing happened. A black portal opened in front of her, Hela looked at Helheim one last time and then stepped through.

**The Sanctuary, Temple of Jotunheim.**

When Loki and Thor opened their eyes, they found themselves in a giant room made of ice. There was a blue glow in the room, coming from the Casket of Ancient Winters. Thor looked at it fascinated. In Odin’s vault the Casket never glowed like this. For some reason Thor thought it looked happy.

“How did we get here Loki?” Thor asked

Loki looked around. “Uh….I’m not sure…...it seems I am able to travel anywhere within Yggdrasil with a thought…..I just wanted to go somewhere where it was safe…….the Casket must have called to my sedir. It did that before too you know. When you were exiled and Heimdall attacked me, the Casket came to me without me even realizing it…..”

“Oh. I have never seen it glow like this before. It feels like it’s…..happy….” Thor commented.

Loki smiled. “Yes the limited sentience the Casket has is happy to be back home. I think we should leave before someone thinks we are trying to steal it or something….”

Thor looked at the Casket mesmerized by the swirling patterns on it. He reached out and touched it with one finger. The Casket’s light glowed brighter in response and Thor pulled his hand back with a gasp. It was so cold! Thor looked at his hand, there were faint blue marking on them. 

He turned around to face Loki. “Look….it didn’t hurt me….but it seems to bring out the Jotun traits….”

Loki nodded conjuring a mirror so Thor could see his face. “Yes….I see markings around your eyes as well. I didn’t know they were there. I wonder…...you are a descendent of Bestla…..you should be able to switch between Jotun and Aesir forms…..though Frigga was Vanir…..”

“Maybe I don’t have a full Jotun form…...maybe these markings are the only sign of my Jotun blood.” Thor pointed out.

“Maybe….we have to go back…..Hela must be free and Odin…..we have to check if he has awakened…...come on……I have an idea.” Loki held out his hand for Thor to take.

Thor held Loki’s hand and Loki closed his eyes, concentrating and picturing the vault in his mind. He wasn’t really sure how he had managed to teleport but he figured it involved his sedir…..so he reached out to his sedir and tried to picture himself and Thor appearing in the vault. Loki felt his connection to Yggdrasil open and pull them through Yggdrasil’s branches back to Asgard with the Casket of Ancient Winters.

**Odin’s Vault, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Everyone in the vault watched mutely as a woman with long black hair and green eyes stepped out from the portal in the middle of the vault. Behind her they could see the portal showed a haunted black landscape and two ghostly figures standing in it. Farbauti gasped as she recognized Laufey and Thrym gasped as he recognized Vidar. The portal closed as soon as the woman had come out of it. Freyr smiled at Hela. At long last she was here. She looked older than Freyr had last seen her and he could feel Hela was much more powerful than she had been before.

“Well this is nice. Hello Uncle Freyr, Aunt Freya, Aunt Farbauti, Thyrm, other people I don’t care about.” Hela remarked. She looked around at the people around her. Thor and Loki were nowhere to be found.

“P-princess H-Hela?” A woman asked, looking rather scared.

Hela frowned at her. “Yes. That is me. Were you expecting someone else? Where are Thor and Loki?”

“They sort of teleported out and are hopefully somewhere on Asgard but we can’t be sure. Oh and we have a possible rebellion going on outside.” Zaaroc explained, making Hela’s frown deepen

Farbauti stepped forward and hugged Hela. “It is so good to see you Hela. It has been so long…….are you alright?”

Hela hugged Farbauti. “Yes. I am alright now. I never thought I would see this day. Where is Odin?”

“Before we do that….” Freyr interrupted. “This is the council of Asgard. This Lord Sten, Lord Njal and Lady Sigrid. There is also General Tyr but he’s gone to look for Thor and Loki.”

Hela looked at the council members with one eyebrow raised. “I see. Well what is this I hear about a rebellion? Are you people not capable of handling the populace?”

“We are capable of handling them!” Lord Sten protested. “The census results have just been declared. The people are upset because…..because they are related to the Jotun that is all..”

Hela raised one eyebrow. “Oh really? Is that all? Well why didn’t you say so! I’ll go set them straight.”

Hela left before the council members could protest. The guards still left in the palace eyed her warily. Hela approached one of them. “You. Does that silly podium my father set up to allow him to give pointless and boring grand speeches still exist?”

The guard looked at her confused. “I-I-m sorry I do not know your father. Whom do you speak of? There is a podium erected by King Odin for his speeches. But…..the common people are not allowed access to it.”

“Oh I’m not common people” Hela chuckled. “I am Odin’s firstborn, Hela. Nice to meet you. Have a few more guards posted at Odin’s room and if he wakes up, do not let him leave. Oh and also if you see Thor or Loki tell them I am giving the people a long overdue speech.”

The guard looked completely dumbfounded. Hela looked at him for a moment. “Well? What are you waiting for?!! Go do as I asked right now!!!”

The guard left calling for General Tyr as he went. Hela shrugged. She didn’t understand why the guard needed the General’s help but whatever. She made her way to the podium where she could see the people outside the gates angry and upset.

“This cannot be true! Me and my family have no association with those monsters! This has to be a mistake!!!”

“We are Aesir by blood not Jotun!!! How dare you spread these lies!!!”

“We demand to speak with the King!!! The miscreants spreading such lies must be punished!!!”

Hela rolled her eyes. She had a feeling the people had become as hard headed and short sighted as her not so dear father. “People of Asgard!” Hela began to get the people’s attention.

A few of them continued to argue with the guards but many stopped looking at her curiously, elbowing their companions. Hela held their stare till all the people were silent.

She looked at her nails. “It has come to my attention that you do not know who I am.” 

She paused. “I am Hela, Odin’s Firstborn, Commander of the Valkyries, Rightful Heir to the Throne and the Goddess of Death.”

The people all began murmuring amongst themselves. The guards below pointed their weapons at her, till one of them, presumably the Captain motioned them to put their weapons down. Smart man. 

Hela stepped to the edge of the podium. “My father has lied to you. We are most of us, the blood of Ymir. Odin himself comes from the line of Ymir. Do not let his hatred become yours. Have you forgotten what happens to the ones who disrespect their ancestors? Do you want to spend an eternity in the blankness of the void? What answer will you give to the Norns when they ask why you chose to dismiss the truth. Do not be foolish. Do not trust someone so much that they stab you in the back and you don’t even feel it! Open your eyes and ears! Look around you!” 

Hela pointed at a man a head taller than the others. “Look even now the blood of Ymir can be seen! Look at yourselves! Look at your children! Why do you think that man is so tall?! Why do you think that woman is an excellent witch?! Why can our children sense the skies and trees and everything in between?!! Is it the blood of Buri?!! No!! It is the blood of Ymir!!”

The people began looking at each other and talking. A man with golden hair stepped forward. “Whoever you are….” he began

Hela looked at him in disbelief. “Whoever I am?!! Have not listened to a word I said!!”

The man spluttered. “How can we believe you are the firstborn of Odin?! Prince Thor is the firstborn. Everyone knows that!”

“No Fandral I am not.” A voice said from behind. Hela turned and saw Thor had joined her on the podium, along with Loki. Further away she saw the council looking concerned and the other rulers looking at her encouragingly.

Thor stepped up beside her. “Whatever Princess Hela says is true. I am not the firstborn of Odin. Nor is my mother his first wife. The truth is King Odin was married to Princess Angrboda of Jotunheim long before my birth. From this union he had a daughter. My sister Hela who now stands before you free from her wrongful imprisonment of a thousand years.”

Loki chose that moment to step forward, so he was visible as well. There gasps of shock as the people saw Loki was alive. Loki shed his Aesir form, causing more exclamations of shock from the people.

Fandral took a step back in shock. Loki spoke up. “Good people of Asgard. I know you are all deeply troubled by the news that has been delivered today. I can prove to you that Odin has fed you lies. That you are the descendants of both Ymir and Buri.”

“How?!” A man asked. “How can you be alive?!! Your skin…..what sorcery is this?!!”

Loki smirked, “Why I was resurrected of course. As you can all see I am Jotun. This skin is the skin I was born in. King Odin stole me from my home and brought me here. A hostage. Though I did not know it. He taught me to hate my own people and when I found out the truth he cast me aside, rejecting me like I was nothing. Now ask yourself ‘If King Odin can lie to someone he called son how much more can he lie to you?’”

A woman came forward. “You….you said you can prove we are descended from Ymir….how?”

“This is how!” Loki held his hand up in the air and summoned the Casket of Ancient Winters. He reached out to it and implored it to search out people with even a drop of Jotun blood and reveal them to him. 

Bright blue light covered Asgard. So bright, that everyone was forced to close their eyes. When the light faded, a thin layer of snow covered every surface. The people opened their eyes. Many of them had thin blue markings or eyes with a tinge of red. Someone’s nails were black like that of a Jotun. Someone had marks on the backs of their hands or their face. The people all looked at each other and became frantic.

“Your eyes!”

“Your face!”

“Your hands!”

Thor’s Jotun markings were back and even Hela had faint markings around her eyes. She looked at the council members and saw Lord Sten had Jotun marks that were a deep blue while Lord Njal’s eyes had become completely red like a Jotun. General Tyr came running to the podium. He too had Jotun marks on his face. They all looked panicked.

“Half-breeds!” Someone yelled. “You are all impure! You must be killed! You have no place in Asgard!”

Hela narrowed her eyes. She conjured one of her swords and threw it at the man who was screaming obscenities, pinning him to the ground with the sword stuck in his arm.

The people backed away from the man, looking at Hela in shock. Hela summoned her helm, well aware of how intimidating it made her look. “Now. Now. Let us not make hasty judgements. The Aesir have never shied from mingling with the other races. This primitive thinking of half breeds and impure blood is no solution.”

“My people, I implore you. The things you have heard of the Jotun are not true.” Thor spoke up again. The people were the most receptive to him though many looked shocked to see that even Thor had Jotun markings. “You can see you share blood with them. Are you going to quarrel with your own blood? Have we not been taught to strive for peace in the Nine Realms? Is not Jotunheim a part of the Nine Realms? I understand that the truth is bitter and difficult to understand but it is the truth. We must accept it. For our sake and the sake of our children. Asgard cannot continue to build itself on lies. They will crumble one day. Let us not wait for that day and embrace the truth here and now.”

“But...how can we?” A young man asked. “We were….we were told the Jotun are monsters. Are we monsters too….? Have we been monsters all along….?”

Loki shook his head. “Look at me. Look at me I say! Do you see a monster? Am I still not the same Loki who played on these very streets with my brother? Has the color of my skin and the marks on my face changed my memories? You are no monster. Neither is anyone with Jotun blood and neither are the Jotun themselves deserving of that moniker. Tell me if they were monsters would the Norns have given them their own land? Would the Norns have allowed them to live and thrive in the Nine Realms if they were a threat to the other beings living here? Answer me!”

“All beings from the dwarves to the elves, from the humans to the Jotun were placed in the Nine realms for a purpose. For if the Norns deem them worthy, who are we to judge?” Thor asked the people. “It is time my people to abandon such notions of superiority. We are all equal. The Nine Realms belong to the Jotun as much as they do to any other race and being. I will tolerate this behaviour no more. We share blood with the Jotun. They are our family not our foes. And any person who behaves otherwise can leave Asgard for there is no place for them here!”

“And as for King Odin…” Hela added. “He has fed you lies. He hid the truth. He sowed unrest. He will be punished for it. There will be a trial held against King Odin publicly, in front of you all. You can ask him yourself why he did what he did. But till then we request you to keep peace in Asgard. Don’t fight amongst each other. We are all in this together.”

The people seemed to agree with that. A public trial will allow the people to bring their own questions to the court. They were hurt and confused, they wanted answers. They were willing to wait for it. The guards dismissed the people and they left, talking among themselves, clearly still disturbed but pacified for the moment.

Thor, Hela and Loki watched the people leave, noting some who looked at them suspiciously. After everyone had left, Hela turned to Thor. “It is nice to meet you little br-” Hela was cut off as Thor pulled her in a tight hug cutting off her air supply and lifting her off the ground.

“Thor! Put her down! She can’t breathe, you oaf!” Loki pried Hela away from Thor who pouted.

“But I am happy to see her! I was simply expressing my joy!” Thor protested.

Hela caught her breath and turned to Loki. “Does he always behave like a giant puppy?”, she asked.

“Oh yes. All the time.” Loki replied. “Just do what I always do: Stab him”

Hela and Loki looked at each other with identical grins. Thor shuffled away from them. Maybe it was not such a good idea to let these two ‘hang out’ as the humans would say.

“There was also that one time Loki tied Thor to a tree and practiced archery with him as a target. I believe it was because Thor had a blanket made for Loki…” Zaaroc spoke up from beside Thor, having made his way to the podium.

Hela frowned, “But a blanket is actually a rather nice gift…”

“Not when it is bright pink with tiny green snakes on it…” Zaaroc pointed out. 

“Ah. I see. I’d practice archery on my brother too if he did that.” Hela nodded. “I don’t believe I know you…”

Zaaroc shrugged. “You wouldn’t. I am Zaaroc, commander of Alfheim’s armies and…...Frigga was my mother….”

Hela blinked, “You are Vuco and Frigga’s child. Oh! Well this has been an eventful day!”

“Yes it has. But we are not done yet…” Thor was serious again.

“Odin.” Loki clarified. “We still have to deal with Odin.”

They decided to vacate the podium and take that discussion elsewhere. Farbauti greeted Loki with a smile. “That was wonderful Loki. You summoned the Casket to yourself, yes? It answers to you doesn’t it?”

Loki rubbed his palm nervously. “Ah..yes….I apologize. I should have probably asked before removing it from Jotunheim….I have sent it back though…..”

Farbauti waved a hand dismissively. “Oh that is fine. It was a brilliant idea. Using the Casket to bring forth the Jotun traits in the people of Asgard. Excellent! There can be no denying the truth now!”

The council members still looked shaken. General Tyr stepped forward. “Your Grace….where were you? I looked everywhere. Is this Princess Hela? How did she get here? I thought she was trapped….I see these marks on my hands and face….I don’t understand….”

Thor sighed, “General Tyr, the altar we found in the vault fueled a spell that kept Hela imprisoned in Helheim. When I destroyed the altar the spell broke, allowing Hela to return to Asgard. The marks are Jotun marks. It would seem you too have Jotun blood in your veins.”

Tyr looked at his hands again, clearly unsure how to react. A guard with a cut on his forehead came rushing to them. “Your Grace! Your Grace!”

The guard was panting. His armor was horribly scratched and he had a cut on his arm as well. “Your Grace! There was this blue light and Heimdall!.....Heimdall!! He…...he escaped from the dungeons. He…..freed Lady Sif and Volstagg. I tried to stop him but….he killed all the guards in the dungeons, Your Grace! He’s….he’s gone mad! He kept saying about how he was going to wake King Odin and how he was going to set this right once and for all and I…..hid from him…..and….I came here as fast as I could Your Grace!”

“Send soldiers to Odin’s room right now!” Thor commanded hurrying to Odin’s room. “Seal all exits! Heimdall and his companions must not escape!”

Loki and Hela looked at each other before rushing after Thor. Zaaroc sighed, looking at Freyr, “Well this day just keeps getting better and better doesn’t it?”

TBC….


	22. An Unexpected Turn of Events (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because really when do things ever go smoothly for Thor?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Author pretends she didn't go on a month long break*  
> But honestly. I was working on the story but had no time to edit and ensure continuity (there might still be some mistakes...sorry..)  
> But I'm back with....like 7 chapters!! (does that make up for it? IDK...)  
> Thank you so much Clio1111, knickerelastica, PrincessPatterson and DivaLadyLoki737 for your support and lovely comments. They make my day! 😊  
> Ok back to the story...

**Somewhere Near Odin’s Rooms, Royal Palace of Asgard**

Heimdall turned around a corner and saw Odin’s room. It was surrounded by guards. He swore. Damnit! He had barely managed to escape the dungeons. He had to get to Odin before Hela got here. Heimdall could handle Thor and Loki, but Hela had the power to kill people with a thought, he was not so foolish as to try and fight her.

“Heimdall what are we waiting for? Come on we need to get to King Odin!” Sif said from beside him.

“Are we sure we should do this? How can we wake King Odin? He is in Odinsleep” Volstagg asked. He had been apprehensive about escaping from the dungeons but Heimdall had convinced him by telling him Loki had tricked Thor again using Ilvana’s form and was alive and currently trying to take over Asgard’s throne. He had not said anything about Hela and that was why they needed to leave before she got here.

“We need a distraction. Volstagg you distract the soldiers. Me and Sif will slip into King Odin’s room. If we are not able to wake him, we’ll take him with us. We can use the Tesseract to escape.” Heimdall explained.

“Won’t there be guards at the vault as well? Will we be able to get there in time?” Sif asked.

Heimdall grit his teeth. “The vault has been destroyed. It was Loki’s doing. We will be able to get the Tesseract from it.”

As expected at the mention of Loki, Sif’s face twisted in anger. “That bastard! I knew there was something wrong with Ilvana! How can Loki do this?!! Thor is supposed to be his brother!!! It’s disgusting!!”

“Shhh!! We can argue about that later. For now we need to get out of here. Volstagg now!” Heimdall motioned at Volstagg.

Volstagg looked reluctant but complied anyway. He stepped out from their hiding place and into the line of sight of the guards. “Hey! Over here!”

The guards reacted as expected and rushed towards Volstagg. Heimdall used the momentary distraction and slipped towards Odin’s room with Sif. He pushed past the door and was careful to close it behind him and Sif. Odin was lying on the bed covered with a golden shield. He looked weak and frail. Norns only knew what Loki had fed him to keep him in this state. For Heimdall was sure this was no natural Odinsleep. 

“Come on. You disable the shield and I will try to wake Odin” Heimdall told Sif.

Sif nodded, looking for the mechanism that activated the shield. Heimdall looked at Odin. He could see a thin tube feeding a bluish liquid to Odin. The liquid must have been a sedative of some sort most likely imbued with sedir to subdue Odin. Sif pressed a button she could feel on the side of the bed, but instead of deactivating the shield around Odin, it opened a section of the wall.

Sif frowned, “What is this? A hidden room?” She looked inside. It was not a room but a passageway it seemed to lead downwards. Outside the guards could be heard questioning Volstagg, apparently having captured him.

“Where are Heimdall and Sif? Answer us Volstagg! You cannot escape now!”

“You go check on King Odin. See if he is alright.”

Heimdall and Sif looked at each other. They could hear footsteps approach the room. Heimdall pushed Sif towards the passageway “Quickly! Let’s hide here for a while!”

As soon as they both stepped into the passageway it closed. Through the wall they could hear the people speaking. Apparently Thor had been informed of their escape from the dungeon.

“Your Grace! We have caught Volstagg but he refuses to tell the whereabouts of his companions.”

“I will question him. Heimdall and Sif must still be here somewhere. They cannot leave the palace, the gates are closed. Keep searching.”

“Are there any hidden tunnels that lead outside the palace? Heimdall must be well aware of them. He and Sif could be in one of them.”

That was Loki’s voice. Sif ground her teeth. How could Thor let that viper roam freely in the palace like this?!! But then Sif simmered down as she heard the voice of a woman. One she had never heard before.

“There is a tunnel that leads to the mountain fortress but it’s through the throne room. If Heimdall had gone there he would have run into us. No. He’s still somewhere in this wing. Don’t worry cousin we will find them. It is just a matter of time”

Sif frowned. Cousin? Who was the woman referring to? Thor had only one cousin, Zaaroc.

“At least Odin is still here. I don’t feel good about keeping him here. I think it’s better if we move him to another room. Preferably one closer to our own, Lo”

Sif heard another set of footsteps walk in the room. It was Zaaroc apparently. Why was he here? He was supposed to be in Alfheim.

“Well isn’t this a party! So…..I removed the Tesseract from the vault. Because if I was Heimdall and stuck in a palace full of soldiers then I’d go for the infinity stone capable of transporting people lightyears away. And with the giant hole in the ceiling  **and** the floor…...the vault is not very safe at the moment.”

“What about Uncle and Svol and Etri and mother? Are they still with the council? I can see the effects of the Casket are beginning to fade now.”

Sif frowned. Mother? Queen Frigga was dead. Who was Loki talking about? And Sif thought the Casket of Ancient Winters was gone. What was happening?!!

“Queen Farbauti has retired to her rooms. Dana was fussing and with Heimdall and Sif on the loose she didn’t want the little girl to fall in the wrong hands. That would be a disaster. Their wing is sort of frozen now because Dana wanted to see Thor and no one would let her. She’s still young and can’t really control the ice powers that well. The rest of the people are in the throne room….”

Sif couldn’t help it. She gasped when she heard the name of the Jotun Queen. Heimdall quickly put a hand over her mouth to silence her. He began pulling her further in the passageway.

Hela held a hand up to silence Zaaroc. She had heard something. She put a finger to her lips and motioned to the wall behind Odin’s bed. Thor tilted his head trying to listen if there was someone hiding in the walls. Zaaroc motioned to Loki to continue their conversation.

“Ah. I see. Yes Dana did make Thor promise her that he was going to show her the horses. She has never seen one. Jotunheim doesn’t have them after all. How is Beli settling at the stables? Has he been harassing the horses?” Loki asked casually.

“Nope. I mean the horses were scared of the giant frost beast at first….but it’s fine now. In fact I think Beli and Selpnir might even become friends” Zaaroc responded.

Hela and Thor silently moved towards the wall. Hela reached out with her sedir. Yes. She could feel the presence of two souls behind the wall. She nodded to Thor. Loki and Zaaroc conjured their weapons, but kept speaking.

“That’s good. I think we should allow the people to go to Jotunheim. Maybe in groups to see for themselves that the Jotun are no different from them. Maybe they can reach out to their relatives in Jotunheim. If any still exist that is.” Loki pointed out.

Thor held Mjolnir aloft and Hela conjured a huge battle axe. They both took aim and hit the wall at the same time. The wall broke and revealed the hidden passage within. It spiraled downwards, probably to the vault. Thor and Hela looked inside and saw Heimdall and Sif disappear around a bend.

“They’re going to the vault! Guards! Guards!” Thor yelled. 

Zaaroc looked at Loki. “Say…..how good are you at teleporting….?”

Loki grabbed his hand, “Good enough. Come on!” 

“Loki wait!”, Thor made to stop them but they both disappeared just as the guards came in. 

“Go to the vaults now! Heimdall and Sif are there. They must not get away!” Hela commanded. The guards scrambled to obey.

Hela turned to Thor. “Come on, we’ll follow them from here and corner Heimdall.”

They both went through the passage following Heimdall and Sif.

**Odin’s Vault, Royal Palace of Asgard**.

Heimdall pulled a reluctant Sif with him. Sif kept trying to break free of his hold. “Heimdall! We have to go back! Loki has clearly spelled all of Asgard not just Thor! There are Jotun in the palace!” Sif tried to pull her hand from Heimdall’s grip.

Heimdall glared at her. “Exactly. This place is not safe for us! We’re just two people! We can’t fight off the Jotun  **and** Thor who need I remind you can wield Mjolnir! We’ll never win!”

They reached a wall and Heimdall pushed it and they entered the vault. There was a huge hole in the ceiling and in the floor. Heimdall quickly went over to the various weapons and artifacts. The Tesseract was indeed gone. 

Suddenly Loki and Zaaroc popped into the vault. “You! What have you done?!!” Sif screamed at Loki.

Loki glared at her conjuring one of his daggers and throwing them at her. Zaaroc did the same. Throwing his sword at Heimdall. Heimdall rolled out of the way. Heimdall thought quickly. He had spent several years as the Guardian of the Bifrost. In a way he could connect to the Bifrost. Maybe he could use it to escape without the mechanism.

Thor and Hela also entered the vault. Hela immediately conjured a sword and threw it at Heimdall pinning him to the wall. Thor grabbed Sif from behind and tossed her to the floor, putting Mjolnir on her chest to prevent her from moving. Heimdall grit his teeth as pain flared in his shoulder but then concentrated. If he was to call for the Bifrost, he had to do it now.

Sif looked at Thor, hurt. “Thor! What are you doing?!! Get this off me! Loki has tricked you! You can’t trust him”

Thor completely ignored Sif and focused on Heimdall, shaking his head. “Heimdall. I see you haven’t changed your mind about me being King.”

Loki took a step forward coming to stand near Hela and tilted his head at Heimdall. The Casket had brought out Jotun features in most of the populace of Asgard but Heimdall still looked the same. Of course if marks appeared on his hand or arms Loki couldn’t see them but his eyes were not their usual bright gold but rather mudied. Loki leaned in studying Heimdall’s face.

Hela snorted. “Oh. I see. So this isn’t the first time this is happening. Do you like failure so much Heimdall? There is no winning here anymore. Odin’s reign is over!”

Heimdall managed to connect to the Bifrost. He smirked at Hela. “No it isn’t. Not while I still live! I will be back! I swear I will kill each and every one of you! Starting with you. You snake!”

The Bifrost activated and Heimdall grabbed Loki’s arm and they were both pulled into the stream of the Bifrost. Thor took a step back in shock as the Bifrost poured through the ceiling, carrying Heimdall and Loki with it. Hela too jumped into the stream of Bifrost just before it disappeared.

“NO!!” Thor screamed and lunged for the Bifrost but it was too late. The stream disappeared and Thor crashed into the wall instead. Thor recovered and looked up. There were now two holes in the ceiling of the vault.

Guards poured in having heard Thor’s screams. Thor summoned Mjolnir back to himself and Zaaroc bound Sif in shackles handing her over to the guards.

“Come on. We need to go to the throne room. We can track Loki with the Hlidskjalf” Zaaroc pointed out.

“How did Heimdall do that?!!!” Thor exclaimed. “Armod, send someone to the Bifrost and see if you can control the stream and direct it back here.”

“Yes, Your Grace” Armod hurried out.

Thor and Zaaroc rushed to the throne room. All the council members along with the other royals were there.

Freyr immediately knew something was wrong. “Thor. Zaaroc what happened? Where is Loki? Where is Hela?”

“No time to explain. Lord Njal activate the Hlidskjalf and see if you can find Loki.” Thor commanded.

Lord Njal nodded and activated the Hlidskjalf. It glowed for a moment searching but then became blank. “It’s…..it’s not working...I don’t understand…..”

Freyr turned Thor to face him, “Thor what happened?!!”

Thor was panicking now. “Heimdall and Sif hid in a secret passageway in Odin’s room. It led to the vault. We followed them. Hela managed to pin Heimdall with her sword but then…..somehow Heimdall summoned the Bifrost. He….he grabbed Loki and Hela threw herself in the stream of the Bifrost after them. I tried to follow them but they’re gone….We thought…..we might be able to track them with the Hlidskjalf”

Everyone gasped in shock. Freyr shook his head. “The Hlidskjalf is not going to work while Heimdall, Hela and Loki are still inside the stream of the Bifrost. Right now they are travelling almost at the speed of light. We will have to wait for the stream to reach its destination. We should all go to the Bifrost dome so we can bring Loki and Hela back as soon as they land somewhere.”

Everyone nodded. Just then the Hlidskjalf glowed again. Lord Njal peered at it. “It seems the Hlidskjalf has managed to locate Prince Loki….”

Everyone looked on as the image of Loki cleared. He had clearly crashed through a ceiling and was lying in a crater obviously made when said crash happened. 

Thor pushed some people aside to look closely at the floor Loki was lying on. “Wait…..I…..I recognize that. Oh! Midgard! He’s on Midgard! I will retrieve him at once!”

“Preferably before someone notices. According to the humans Loki is supposed to be dead.” Zaaroc reminded Thor.

Thor winced. “Oh. Right. Which is why I need to leave now!”

Freyr nodded. “Yes. You leave. We will look for Hela and Heimdall. If Loki landed on Midgard they must have landed somewhere as well.”

Thor nodded already halfway out of the throne room. He remembered the floor. It was Dr. Stark’s Tower’s floor. Thor winced again. He really hoped Tony didn’t do something like attack Loki before Thor got there.

**A Few Minutes Earlier, Bifrost Stream, Somewhere in Space,**

Loki conjured a dagger and stabbed Heimdall between the ribs making him lose his grip on Loki’s arm. Heimdall growled and tried to kick Loki. Loki hit the wall of the Bifrost and barely managed to recover in time.

From below a sword flew up and Heimdall moved out of it’s way at the last moment. Loki looked down and saw Hela was in the Bifrost stream as well and gaining speed. Heimdall pulled out the dagger between his ribs and grabbed Loki’s collar and tried to stab him. 

Loki caught Heimdall’s hand midair and strained to stop him. Hela threw another sword at Heimdall. He dodged it again. This time Heimdall managed to kick Loki successfully. Loki felt intense pain and disorientation as he was pushed out of the Bifrost mid travel. The last thing Loki saw was Hela catching up to Heimdall and gripping his throat. Panic gripped him as he remembered the last time he had fallen into the Void. With his last vestiges of consciousness he reached out to his connection to Yggdrasil and found the first path he could and reached for it, letting it carry him....

TBC…


	23. Stark Tower (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tony keeps running into Stephen and Pepper makes a new friend

**Dr. Stark’s Penthouse, Stark Tower, New York.**

Tony tapped his hand on the table and looked at the clock, then at a box, then at the clock, then tapped his hand on the table again.

 _“Sir I am sure Prince Thor will respond when he has the time to. I can keep track if you want”_ JARVIS said finally after watching Tony tap the table and stare at the clock for the past hour.

Tony blew a raspberry. “It’s been a whole day! Are we sure Thor even got the letter? Maybe he didn’t get the letter. Oh! Maybe it fell in the hands of some spy or something. Does Asgard have spies? Who am I kidding! Spies are like cockroaches. They’re everywhere. I’m telling you J something’s wrong. We should go to Thor!”

JARVIS couldn’t sigh but he sure made it sound like he was tired. _“Yes Sir. Of course. Shall we invent interplanetary travel in a day and make our merry way to Asgard? We do not know which galaxy it is located in but I’m sure we can figure it out once we’re in the Stratosphere”_

Tony narrowed his eyes at one of the cameras. “Are you mocking me? It feels like you’re mocking me. You know what at least DUM-E agrees with me. Ain’t that right DUMS? You think we should go find Thor don’t you?”

DUM-E started to raise his claw in agreement when JARVIS spoke up again “ _He will have to leave for days, possibly months or even years DUM-E. Then who will you help in the lab?”_

DUM-E beeped in alarm, somehow looking offended, then grabbed a nearby screwdriver and threw it at Tony angrily wheeling back to his charging station.

“Hey!” Tony ducked out of the way of the screwdriver. “For the record I was going to make a portal! It would only take a few hours to get Thor at the most!”

But DUM-E had made up his mind that Tony was going to leave him and refused to look at him. Tony pointed one accusing finger at JARVIS. “You’re downright evil J. Evil I say. Now pull up Loki’s EEG maybe I can figure it out myself”

JARVIS pulled up the scans for Tony. He squinted at them trying to make sense of the lines but they all looked the same to him. He loathe to admit it but he was a little out of his depth here. Then the light bulb went off in his head. Tony facepalmed. 

“I know exactly who can help us with this. J contact Dr. Strange’s assistant and book an appointment at the earliest date. I bet Stephen can understand these scans better than us. He will have to come here for the consultation. Oh and draft an NDA just to be safe. This is supposed to be classified intel.” Tony picked up the fallen screwdriver.

“ _Certainly Sir. Ms. Potts has asked me to remind you that you have a meeting later today and it is imperative that you are present for it._ ” JARVIS reported.

“Cool. I’ll be there. Hey maybe I can take Pep to a nice restaurant for dinner after. Book a table at that restaurant she likes….uh….what was it….Oh! Yeah…..Le Bernardin….book a table for two….say…..for 8 o’ clock” Tony pulled up some designs he had been working on for the Iron Man armour.

“ _Done Sir. Dr. Banner and Dr. Foster will be attending the Maria Stark Foundations drive for Young Scientists today at the Midtown School of Science and Technology. I have contacted Dr. Strange’s assistant and am awaiting their response. Anything else Sir?”_

Tony shook his head, “Nope. Seal the lab. No disturbances till it's time for that SI meeting. I wanna finish this today.” Tony spent the rest of the afternoon improving the iron man armour and hoping Stephen agreed to meet him.

**Metro-General Hospital, New York.**

Stephen scrubbed his eyes in an attempt to clear some of the sleep. He had just completed an 8 hour long surgery and he was tired. Not that he minded his work. Not at all but some days did exhaust him. He sighed slumping in his chair a little. He had another surgery in the evening and then he was considering treating himself to a nice dinner, maybe have Christine come along so he wasn’t so lonely. Not that he would admit that was why he wanted her to come.

His assistant knocked on the door interrupting his thoughts. “Dr. Strange?”

Stephen sat straighter in his chair. “Yes, Melissa”

Melissa looked a little confused. “Uh...I just got a call from Mr. Stark’s assistant….Mr. Stark wants to book an appointment with you at the earliest date…..there’s an NDA that also came through which you and I have to sign if you agree….and also…..um you will have to visit Mr. Stark personally….He won’t be coming here….”

Stephen blinked. That was not what he had expected. Dr. Stark looked perfectly hale and hearty the last time Stephen had seen him. But then again, Dr. Stark probably had an army of people that could help him look how he wanted to. Though Stephen secretly hoped Dr. Stark was not suffering from anything fatal. He was one of the best scientists of the millennium and Stephen didn’t think the world was ready to lose him. Especially now that he had fully embraced innovation. Not to mention Iron Man was a celebrated hero and that was loss that would truly hurt the general public.

Melissa was still waiting for a response. Stephen bit his lip. An NDA meant he wouldn’t be able to tell anyone whatever it was that was ailing Dr. Stark. That was a double edged sword. On one hand in such cases even Stephen understood that it was best to involve close family members or friends for support. On the other hand Stephen was a respected doctor not just for his skill but also because of his work ethic. He would never violate doctor-patient confidentiality.

“Yeah...book the appointment for tomorrow morning and forward the NDA to me. I’ll go through it.” Stephen opened his laptop. “Where am I expected to meet Dr. Stark?”

“Stark Tower.” Melissa replied. “I will send the response. The earliest slot you have is 9 in the morning.”

“Perfect. Book it. I have another surgery in a few hours. Order some lunch. My usual.” Stephen read the NDA his eyebrows rising in surprise. This was ironclad with severe consequences for breach of contract. Something was definitely up. 

Stephen shook his head. He needed to focus for the next surgery. He was tempted to go to the coffee shop just to see if Dr. Stark was there again but then let that thought slide. He and Dr. Stark barely knew each other. It was best to wait for tomorrow. Instead Stephen decided to call Christine and ask if she was free tonight. They could go to that restaurant she likes so much…

**Le Bernardin, New York**

Pepper admitted it had been too long since she and Tony had done something like this. The fundraiser had been nice and now this dinner plan was even better. Since her self realization Pepper had been trying to tone down her constant complaints. She had decided to move to another floor in the Tower in an attempt to clear her head. She felt a bit sad when she immediately saw a change in Tony. He was more cheerful and he looked at her less warily. It made Pepper realize she had been unconsciously driving Tony in a corner. 

She had thought very hard about what she wanted from their relationship and realized that this was better. Tony and Pepper hanging out, going on expensive dinners, probably drinking too much wine and then going back each to their own house. Pepper realized she loved Tony…..just not as a lover…..they were better off as friends. They clearly had taken the wrong step in their relationship. Pepper had made the decision now she just had to find a way to tell Tony so that he didn’t take it to heart. Or worse blame himself. Easier said than done.

Tony squinted at the menu. He had worn one of his less ostentatious suits complete with a pair of glasses that Pepper knew connected him to JARVIS. And if Tony’s watch was a gauntlet in disguise, Pepper chose to ignore that for now.

“This is nice. You were right Tony. Maybe we should do this more often” Pepper sipped her wine.

Tony perked. “Yeah? I thought so. You know we should take a vacation. Fly to Tuscany, gorge ourselves sick on Lampredotto. Just forget about everything for a while”

Once before Tony had asked her the same question and she had denied him but now it sounded like a good idea. Pepper was about to convey that when Tony’s eyes slid to the side and widened.

“No way!” Tony got from their table and Pepper turned to see he had walked up to another table with a man and a woman. On second glance she recognized Dr. Christine Palmer. She’d met her at the fundraiser.

The waiter came with their entree and looked confused to see only Pepper at the table. Pepper glanced back. Now Tony was talking animatedly with the man. Christine caught her eye and smiled a bit hesitantly at her. Pepper smiled back. That must be what Christine was looking for as she came over to Pepper. Tony sat in the seat she had vacated seemingly unaware he was doing it. 

“Hi. Do you mind if I sit here for a while? It seems like my date and yours have ditched us for the moment”, Christine had the same exasperated expression Pepper had seen in the mirror one time too many since meeting Tony.

“Yeah. Sure. Have a seat.” Pepper motioned to the waiter to serve the food. “Might as well eat. Wine?”

Christine smiled more confidently this time. “Thanks. But I have surgery early tomorrow morning so let’s keep the wine for some other time.”

“Of course.” Pepper said easily. “Sorry about Tony. That man has no situational awareness.”

Christine waved a hand dismissively “Oh it’s fine! If I’m being honest Stephen is no better. He once scoffed very loudly while presenting an award to a colleague simply because he thought he was more deserving of the award.”

Pepper couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. “Tony has consecutively failed to show up for receiving his awards and then one time he showed up half drunk and gave a long acceptance speech that was more a lecture on circuits or something.”

“Wow. They’re kinda cut from the same cloth aren’t they?” Christine wondered.

“Yup” Pepper looked behind to see that now Tony and Stephen were eating and talking, probably having forgotten all about their dates “And it seems like we’re on our own now. Wanna bet they won’t remember us till it’s time to pay the bill?”

Christine tapped her chin in thought. “What does the winner get?”

“If I win you have to take me to that spa you mentioned last time. The one where the masseuse gives great massages” Pepper replied.

“Alright and if I win you have to take to me the salon where you got that manicure from. It’s great! And I say Stephen won’t remember me till he’s half way home. Same for your crazy genius.” Christine held out a hand for Pepper to shake.

“Deal” Pepper shook Christine’s hand. 

As it turned out Stephen and Tony kept chatting the entire dinner, briefly arguing over who was supposed to pay the bill before splitting it and then left, indeed forgetting all about Pepper and Christine.

The two women shook their heads, giggling when they both received multiple texts and voicemails from their respective crazy geniuses as they realized they had completely forgotten the people they came with. All in all it was not what Pepper had been expecting but it was a good night. The thought lingered in her mind that she should talk to Tony about their relationship but she let it go for now. There was always tomorrow…


	24. Stark Tower (part 4)

**Parking Garage, Stark Tower, New York.**

Stephen got out of his car and made sure to lock the door behind him. There was a man who Stephen assumed was part of the security.

The man nodded at Stephen. “Dr. Strange. I am Harold Hogan, Head of Security. Welcome to Stark Tower. Here. You will need this badge for accessing various parts of the Tower. Please ensure to keep it with you at all times and return it at the front desk before leaving.”

Stephen nodded gratefully and took the badge from Harold. “Thank you.”

Harold led Stephen inside the building. There were people milling about in the lobby. Harold motioned to an elevator that was probably private. The elevator dinged open and they both stepped in.

“ _ Good Morning Dr. Strange. I am JARVIS, Dr. Stark’s assistant. I also manage this building. Dr. Stark is waiting for you in his penthouse.” _ A voice said, startling Stephen. He blinked in confusion. The voice sounded off somehow.

“Don’t worry. That’s JARVIS. Mr. Stark’s A.I. He has eyes and ears everywhere in this Tower” Harold pointed at a tiny camera in the corner.

Stephen blinked at the camera for a moment. JARVIS sounded like a real person. It was the slight edge to his voice that Stephen now realized sounded electronic that gave him away. The elevator dinged open and Stephen stepped out.

He was in a huge living room, complete with a bar. Not exactly the place for a medical consultation but despite Stephen’s best efforts, Tony as he insisted Stephen call him, had refused to tell him why he needed a visit from Stephen in the first place.

“Hey Doc! You’re here! Come on, have a seat!” Tony was in the kitchen drinking from a cup of coffee, dressed in t-shirt and jeans. There was an oil smudge on his forehead that he probably wasn’t aware of.

“Dr. Stark. Yo-....” Stephen was interrupted as Tony sighed loudly.

“Nope! It’s Tony. Stop calling me Dr. Stark. We practically went on a date yesterday! Come on. It’s T-O-N-Y. It’s easy you can do it” Tony insisted.

Stephen rolled his eyes. “I know what your name is. I was just trying to be professional. Some of us like to adhere to rules every now and then”

Tony waved a hand dismissively. “Pssh! Forget the rules. Or more to the point. It’s my Tower so my rules and I say you call me Tony. Ok. Cool. Ok. Now onto more important things. J pull those scans up for the good doctor here”

Stephen had come to realize that Tony’s thought process worked faster than most people and he tended to make jumps in conversations, simply because he assessed his situation faster. It was not a bad habit per se. Just something that it took some time getting used to. But Stephen wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. He could keep up.

“Before I look at what appears to be EEG, can I ask who this belongs to? You did make me sign an NDA. It must have been for something.” Stephen asked

Tony immediately dropped the carefree demeanor. He came around and sat down on one of the couches in the room, patting the space beside him. Stephen hesitated for a second but then sat down, giving Tony his full attention.

Tony thought for a moment then waved a hand and the scan disappeared and was replaced by pictures of two men. One Stephen recognized from the news as the alien Prince Thor and the other he recognized from various accounts as well as his own memories. It was Loki the alien that had attacked New York. Stephen furrowed his brow, confused.

“Yeah….I see you recognize them.” Tony sighed. “So…..that is Thor. As you know he’s friendly…...he helped us…...and that is Loki….I know I know. He attacked New York and he was bad and all. But what you and most people don’t know is that Loki was Thor’s adopted brother.”

Stephen noticed the use of past tense. “Was? You mean to say he’s no longer alive.”

Tony shook his head. “No….According to Thor, Loki died saving him last year during that mayhem in London. He has been dead for some time now. But…..you see…...Thor….he’s convinced that Loki was…..forced…..or coerced is probably better…...Thor thinks he was coerced into attacking New York”

Stephen shook his head. “No. Absolutely not. As a doctor who treated people that were…..no. Do you know how many people were injured that day? How many have permanent trauma? How many are  **dead** ? How can….I understand that this….that Thor probably has a soft corner for his once brother but please tell me you don’t believe him…you can’t”

Tony held up his hands placatingly. “Just hear me out. Just once. Ok. You can leave then if you want. Look I didn’t want to believe it either. But then Thor said the craziest thing. He said Loki’s eyes were green and I….”

Stephen had a hard time understanding what was going on. “I don’t understand. What does it matter if Loki’s eyes were green, blue or red?!!”

“I’m getting to that!” Tony waved in another set of pictures. “Look this is Loki in Stuttgart Germany and in SHIELD headquarters and in my penthouse where he mind you threw me out that window there. And this is him  **after** the invasion when he had been captured and there again just before Thor took him back to Viking Planet. Look at him. Look at his face. Notice something?”

Stephen bit his lip wanting to argue but then looked at the pictures carefully. Dismissing the gaudy armour, in the earlier pictures Loki looked…..stressed…..almost malnourished…..his eyes were a startling blue and the pupils were too wide. As a doctor he immediately recognized signs of severe mental and physical strain. In the later pictures he looked better, healthier though he had cuts and scrapes on his face and his eyes were a vibrant green. Stephen blinked. It was true that sometimes eye color could change depending on light but this was too much. The change was too drastic and it stayed.

“See” Tony said triumphantly. “His eyes are totally different. His body language too if you notice. Out of all of us Loki looks the most relieved. Almost like he’s happy he lost. It got me thinking. You know the scepter Loki had could somehow interfere with people’s brain. Sort of…..or exactly like mind control. One of SHIELD’s best agents fell prey to it. As well as Dr. Erik Selvig and well I’m sure you’ve seen it left somewhat of an impression on his mind afterwards too.”

Stephen did remember the scientist being caught naked at Stonehenge. It was one of those times he’d cursed his photographic memory and Christine for showing that video to him. “Are you…..you’re saying Loki himself was under the influence of this…..this scepter when he attacked New York…?”

“That’s the theory” Tony confirmed. “But I need a little help.”

“The scans…..they’re not yours……” Stephen realized.

“No they’re not.” Tony replied. “And at this point I feel compelled to remind you of the NDA. This information is classified. And I am serious Stephen. I was looking at EEG scans hoping to find some sign of Loki being under mind control but…..I am a little out of my depth here. So I thought I’d ask you…”

Stephen bit his lip. He had no love for the alien that attacked New York and caused so much destruction but…..if said alien had been forced into it then…...he was a victim. Many people thought Stephen cold and heartless but that wasn’t actually true.

Stephen sighed. “I still need some frame of reference. We are talking about an alien brain. My expertise is human brains. Do you have EEGs of the other people? The ones you mentioned also fell victim to this….scepter.”

“ _ We do not have scans of when they were under the influence of the scepter but we have scans taken immediately after the influence was removed. Please note Doctor that in both cases cognitive recalibration was needed.” _ JARVIS spoke up from the ceiling.

“Interesting…. And what about Loki? Was the change in eye color observed after a cognitive recalibration was performed for him?” Stephen asked.

“ _ Yes indeed Doctor. As per my analysis the change in Prince Loki’s eye color was noted after the Hulk ‘smashed’ him on the floor of the penthouse.” _ JARVIS played the footage of Loki being tossed like a rag doll.

“He survived that?!!” Stephen exclaimed. “That suggests superior healing abilities.”

“Yup.” Tony nodded. “Hulk tossed him like yesterday’s trash and all it took was less than half an hour for Lolo here to be walking and snarking again.”

“Impressive. JARVIS can you put the scans of that SHIELD agent and Erik Selvig side by side with Loki’s?” Stephen asked.

“ _ Certainly Doctor.” _ JARVIS pulled up the scans for Stephen. 

It was very hard to determine if Loki’s brain worked the same way a human’s mind did but as Stephen looked at the scans he could see one line go up and down in perfect symmetry in all the scans. It wobbled and then disappeared for Erik Selvig and the unnamed SHIELD agent but it was there in all three. 

“Hmmm….I can’t be sure…..but I see this line here is exactly the same in all three scans. That’s quite odd.” Stephen admitted. “But still I would need fresh scans or scans taken when Loki was back to ‘normal’ I mean I still maintain that I am no expert in alien brains and how they function. So….I’ll need to consult with someone who is….?”

Stephen looked unsure. Tony put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. “Hey no pressure Doc. I did ask Thor if they have something like EEG on their planet but I haven’t received a response yet. Don’t know….dude’s busy. He has an entire planet to run. But I hate waiting so I thought maybe I can parse the information I did have……”

Stephen looked back at the scans. “To be honest this is a great opportunity. But I am a little out of my depth too. You said you communicated with Prince Thor. How?”

“Yeah…..” Tony looked unsure. “That’s…..you wouldn't believe me if I told you…..”

Stephen shrugged. “You said you have a good sense of fashion and despite the data so far I believe you”

Tony was immediately indignant, “I  **do** have good fashion sense!!”

“What you have is an oil smudge on your forehead.” Stephen pointed out dryly.

Tony squeaked and then looked at his reflection in the glass of the center table, rubbing at his forehead. “JARVIS why didn’t you tell me I had an oil smudge?!! Now look what you've done!!!”

“ _ You have an oil smudge on your forehead, Sir. _ ” JARVIS reported sarcastically. 

Stephen chuckled. Tony glared at JARVIS’ camera. “I’m starting to think it’s you I should donate to Community College”

Tony rubbed at the oil smudge only succeeding in transferring some of it to his hand. Stephen shook his head and pulled out his handkerchief, “Here. You’re making it worse.”

Tony grinned happily at Stephen. Just then there was a strange ringing sound and Tony and Stephen covered their ears to block it. The penthouse shook and suddenly there was a column of light that poured in through the ceiling. Tony immediately called for his armor and guns popped out of the floors pointing at the column of light. JARVIS sealed the room and the windows were covered with thick bulletproof metal.

The Iron Man armor covered Tony and he pushed Stephen behind him pointing his gauntlets at the column of light. After sometime the light faded and Tony realized there was a crater in his floor. He carefully walked over to it motioning at Stephen to stay put.

Tony peered in the crater and his mouth dropped open in shock. The face plate retracted and JARVIS also disarmed the guns. Stephen seeing that there was no immediate threat came over to Tony and peered at the crater. Lying in the crater, seemingly unconscious in the middle of Tony’s penthouse was one very not dead ex-alien invader.

“I thought you said Loki was dead” Stephen commented.

TBC....


	25. Stark Tower (part 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone is invited to Asgard and Stephen surprises Tony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for Tony's ramblings. They're just big chunks of dialog...

**Dr. Stark’s Penthouse, Stark Tower, New York.**

Tony finally recovered from the shock of seeing Loki and looked at JARVIS’ camera. “J am I dreaming or is that really supposedly dead Loki in a crater in my penthouse?”

“ _ I am afraid Sir that it is indeed Prince Loki. His vitals are stable and he appears to be unconscious” _ JARVIS reported.

Stephen bent down and checked Loki’s pulse. He noted that Loki’s skin was alarmingly cold. “He’s very cold. Can you measure his body temperature JARVIS?”

“ _ Prince Loki’s core temperature is colder than the furniture, Dr. Strange. I’m afraid I do not know if this is normal.” _ JARVIS responded.

Stephen bit his lip. “What….what should we do?”

Tony blinked. “Huh? Oh. I think the first thing should be moving him to the couch. The whole crater in the floor with Loki is giving me flashbacks. J call Jane. She’s the most experienced in aliens. She might know what is and isn’t normal for Loki here.”

“ _ Done, Sir. Dr. Foster is coming up to the penthouse now.” _ JARVIS informed.

Tony picked Loki up and despite the armor helping him, he strained under Loki’s weight. “Damn. For a guy that looks like he eats air, he sure is heavy.”

Tony placed Loki on the couch and watched in fascination as his skin lost it’s pale color and turned a rich deep blue. Stephen came up beside Tony staring as well. The elevator dinged and Jane came rushing in. 

“Dr. Stark?!! JARVIS said Loki fell through you-Oh.” Jane stopped as she noticed Loki.

Tony pointed at a now blue Loki. “Is that normal? Should we get some blankets? J said his core temp is lower than the fucking furniture.”

Jane blinked. “Um….yeah….Thor said Loki was-is a frost giant. They’re supposed to be blue skinned and red eyed people that live on this super cold planet, Jotunheim. So...I guess it’s normal….?”

The Tower rocked a second time and Tony gripped both Jane and Stephen to keep them from falling over. “Damnit! What the hell is it now?!!”

“ _ Sir. Prince Thor just landed on the roof and is asking permission to come in. Shall I allow him in?” _ JARVIS asked.

“Seriously?!! Yeah let him in J. Maybe he can explain what on Earth is going on?!!” Tony was in a really bad mood now.

JARVIS let Thor in and he came barging in a moment later, in full armor with Mjolnir, his eyes zeroing in on Loki. “Loki!!” 

Thor dropped Mjolnir making a crack on Tony’s floor and immediately knelt down beside Loki, stroking his hair. “Loki!” He looked around him “How is he? Is he hurt?”

“ _ Prince Loki is simply unconscious, Prince Thor. His vitals are steady. Though his core temperature is very low.” _ JARVIS replied helpfully.

Thor waved a hand dismissively. “That is normal. Loki is Jotun. Any injuries?”

“Yeah...no...explanations first.” Tony interrupted. “What the hell Thor?! You said Loki was dead! He seems very alive to me! And what in the bloody hell is it crashing through my ceiling!!”

Thor bit his lip, looking a bit sheepish. “Sorry about that...But it was not planned! It was an accident! And Loki  **was** dead. His resurrection is a recent development. I swear I didn’t lie about him being dead!”

Tony gaped. “You honestly want me to believe you brought him back to life! People don’t do that Thor! Once they die, they die!”

Thor winced. “I must admit….these were very unique circumstances…..involving my elder sister who is the Goddess of Death and a soul bond but I assure you Loki was dead and is now not. You can ask anyone on Asgard! They’ll vouch for me!”

Tony opened his mouth to protest but Stephen interrupted him. “Tony please if I may…..medically speaking there have been cases where people were declared dead but then were revived. We call it the Lazarus Syndrome. There was a British woman whose heart beat was revived after six and a half hours. It was an exceptional case. Are you saying something similar happened to Prince Loki?”

“Does it count as this…..Lazarus Syndrome if Loki was revived after three months?” Thor asked sheepishly.

Stephen gaped at him. “Well…..I would say no but I don’t know enough about your biology to make that assumption…..”

“No” Tony interjected. “The answer would be no.”

Stephen hesitated but then put a hand on Tony’s armor covered shoulder. “No...wait….just let me...you say Prince Loki was dead for three months….then his body must have decayed severely in that time…”

Thor shook his head. “No. I told you Loki is Jotun. Their healing ability surpasses the Aesir that is my people’s ability to heal. Loki’s body had not decayed at all. After that it was just a matter of bringing his soul back to the living plane of existence and rejoining its connection to his body. We did have to feed him potions to heal the wound that had actually caused his death…”

“I don’t believe in souls” Tony and Stephen said at the same time.

Thor looked at them amused. “And what do you think animates your body? Which is just a shell of bones and muscles and blood without the soul.”

Tony was going to reply that it was his super awesome brain but Loki chose that moment to wake up from his beauty sleep. Loki groaned as his entire body ached. Falling off the Bifrost was an unpleasant experience that had happened one time to many in Loki’s opinion.

Stephen watched as Loki opened his eyes. They were completely red. Pupils and all. Like rubies his mind supplied. Loki blinked a few times and his skin automatically reverted back to its pale palour complete with bright green eyes.

“Thor?” Loki asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. “Where are we? I remember Heimdall kicking me off the Bifrost….”

Loki trailed off as he noticed Tony and Stephen and Jane. He looked at Thor with wide eyes. Thor squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry I’m here. They’re not going to hurt you. Do you know what happened to Hela?”

Loki looked at Tony warily but then shook his head. “No. She was able to move easily within the Bifrost stream though so I’m sure she’s fine. I remember her gripping Heimdall’s throat. Maybe the Hlidskjalf can help track her. I think I want to go back now…”

Tony stepped forward. “Now wait a minute. Not so fast. I still don’t believe this whole coming back to life thing. Did you get my letter Thor? Cause I sent it a while back…”

“ _ He sent it yesterday” _ JARVIS supplied unhelpfully.

Jane snickered and Tony glared at JARVIS’ camera again. Loki smiled. “I see patience is not your strong suit. I can see why you get along with Thor.”

“I can be patient!” Thor protested. “What about that time you threw me a surprise feast? I was patient for two whole months!”

“You told Thor you were going to throw him a party two months before you actually did it?” Jane asked

Loki shook his head. “No. The impatient Oaf bribed one of my personal servants and found out on his own. Then he kept hinting at it for weeks!”

“We’re getting off track. The debate is whether Reindeer Games was actually dead or not.” Tony huffed.

“No. There is no debate there. He was dead. We resurrected him. You can choose to believe it or not. That’s your choice. It does not change the truth.” Thor said firmly, holding Loki’s hand “We do need to go back. The Council of the Nine is in progress. We are needed there. I am sorry Anthony. I might have received your letter but we have been busy these past few days. What was it you wished to know?”

Tony blinked and looked at Thor and Loki’s joined hands but then let it go for the moment. Honestly Stephen was probably right. They didn’t know enough about alien biology to understand if it was possible to revive Loki or not. 

Tony shrugged. “Nothing much. I had an idea about how we can prove Loki was mind controlled. On earth we have this test that allows people to detect electrical activity in a person’s brain. In simple terms it can help check a person’s brain waves. I’m not sure you understood that. Let me put it this way. Is there any way we can get a look at how Loki’s brain normally functioned? I mean in the form of a picture. Like a graph. With lines going up and down. Just….just tell me if Asgard has a way of determining if a person has a head injury.”

Thor and Loki both looked at Tony confused. Stephen rolled his eyes at Tony. “JARVIS can you pull the EEG scans of Loki? I’ll explain how it works.”

JARVIS displayed the scans to Thor and Loki. Stephen pointed at some lines. “Here. See this monitors your mind’s activity. So if you’re thinking too much the lines will be all haphazard. For a person in a coma or a deep sleep there will be fewer lines because a part of their mind will be asleep as well. Do you have something like this on Asgard?”

Thor tapped his chin in thought. “Whenever my father is in Odinsleep our head healer, that is what we call doctors on Asgard, monitors his entire body’s function including his mind. Odinsleep is like a coma as you say. Is that something similar to what you are looking for?”

Stephen nodded. “It could be. But I cannot know that without seeing how your doctor...er healer monitors your father’s mind activity.”

“Then come with us and see for yourself.” Loki said.

Stephen looked at him. “I’m sorry...what?” 

Loki shrugged. “You said you need to see how our machines work So come with us to Asgard and see them for yourself.”

Stephen took a step back. “I...I...you mean go with you to your planet…? Will I even be able to survive in your atmosphere?”

“Oh that’s totally fine. I was there last summer and it was awesome. Attack from dark elves notwithstanding” Jane replied.

Tony stepped forward again. “No. No. Absolutely no. You’re not taking McDreamy anywhere. He has commitments here on Earth. We all do, you know.”

Loki and Stephen both frowned. “Your name is McDreamy? That does not sound right?” Loki said at the same time as Stephen protested that he was perfectly capable of making his own decisions and no his name was not McDreamy.

“It’s Dr. Stephen Strange. I am a neurosurgeon at the Metro General. Uh…..that means I am an expert in human brains.” Stephen explained.

“Then you’re the perfect person to help us!” Thor boomed. “We will be honored to host you Doctor. You can come as well Jane. I want you to meet Hela!”

Tony pouted. “And what about me? Aren’t you going to invite me? No fair!”

“But you have commitments don’t you Dr Stark. How can we just assume you can come with us? We cannot rob the thousands awaiting your presence!” Loki asked faux innocently. Tony was beginning to see why everyone called him a trickster.

“JARVIS! He’s being mean to me! Tell him I’m free to go to Viking planet!” Tony whined 

“ _ Your schedule is booked till October Sir. You are not free at all.” _ JARVIS drawled 

“Traitor! I am free. I'm super free. Clear the schedule. Inform Pepper….you know what I’ll do that personally. Inform Brucie bear and Honey Bear too! Prep Mark 45 and upload yourself using the Picnic Protocol. We’re going to be cut off from existing servers once we’re there. So dump all extra code and downsize yourself. You’re coming too.” The armor Tony was currently wearing retreated.

“How long can this excursion take?” Stephen asked. On one hand he was very excited to go to an alien planet on the other hand Tony had not been completely wrong when he talked about prior commitments. Though thankfully Stephen did not have any upcoming surgeries for a few days.

“A week at the most. And if necessary we can drop you off before that at any time. With the Bifrost the travel is instantaneous.” Thor informed. 

Stephen nodded contemplating. Studying an alien brain with alien technology was a once in a lifetime opportunity. There was so much Stephen could learn. “Give me three hours. I need to inform my assistant and apply for emergency leave at the hospital and pack…”

“Yeah….I’ll cover the clothes and J can help with the leave application and contacting your assistant and all…...now if you’ll excuse me I gotta tell Pepper I am leaving. If I don’t make it back in fifteen please rescue me.” Tony sauntered off.

Loki looked at Jane expectantly. “Oh fine! I’ll come too I guess.” Jane huffed. “But you have to promise me no one is going to call me a goat again!”

“I’ll stab them if they do,” Loki promised.

Jane smiled and then left to pack. Stephen looked at Loki. “You were joking about the stabbing right?”

Loki, who was suddenly twirling a dagger, smiled broadly at Stephen. “Sure. If you say so.”

Stephen gulped. “Ok…..I think I want to contact my assistant now...and then maybe my lawyer….get my affairs in order. JARVIS can you please open this door to the balcony? ”

“ _ Certainly Doctor” _ JARVIS replied with an edge to his voice that Stephen thought sounded like amusement. 

Well this day was certainly not going as he had expected….

**Ms. Potts’ Office, Stark Tower, New York.**

“Honey I’m home!” Tony bounced in Pepper’s office looking all bright eyed and excited. Probably had something to do with whatever caused the blasts in the lab. The entire building had shaken twice. Pepper had been on the verge of asking everyone to evacuate when JARVIS informed her it had been an unfortunate blast in the lab and that it was now contained.

“Hey Tony.” Pepper smiled at him. “What brings you here?”

Tony gasped. “Can’t I come to see my CEO for a chat?! Are you still mad about yesterday? Because I’m sorry about that. I was talking to McDreamy and time just flew by! In my defense he forgot his date too”

Pepper shook her head. “It’s fine. You made up for it by buying me those shoes and that dress and the yacht. JARVIS said you were in the lab so I’m just surprised you managed to surface without Happy pulling you off the workbench with a crowbar.”

“Hey! I can be self aware!” Tony protested but then he immediately sobered which made Pepper sit up. “I….So you remember I sent that letter to Thor about Loki…?”

Pepper nodded. Tony paced. “Yeah….so turns out Thor’s super busy and didn’t read my letter and I was getting kinda impatient ya know? So I thought Hey I know who can help! The hot neurosurgeon I keep running into! I mean he can understand brain scans and he’s one of the best so I called McDreamy and asked him to come here and take a gander at Rock of Ages’ scans and so he came here today but then would you believe it! Reindeer Games is not that dead and Thor’s in the penthouse now with him and I told them about my idea and they met Stephen and then Stephen was like but I don’t know how alien brains work. So Lolo was like well come with us then and then Jane came and Thor wants her to meet his sister because apparently it's super easy for them to travel they’re like you all come with us and then we’ll drop you back whenever you want and Stephen and Jane were like Cool we’ll go and I was like what about me? So Reindeer Games was all sassy and like don’t you have commitments and I was like I’m free and so we’re all going to Viking planet for a week and can I go please?”

It was only years of experience that allowed Pepper to parse what Tony meant as he rambled. She set aside the fact that Loki was somehow alive for later. “So just to be clear…..you want to go to an alien planet for a week-long vacation? Am I getting this right?”

“It’s not a vacation. We’ll be working” Tony pointed out.

“Right. Week-long vacation it is then.” Pepper noted. She bit her lip thinking. It was incredibly risky. If something happened to Tony while he was on another planet, he’d be all alone and honestly Pepper still had nightmares about the call she got when Tony was kidnapped in Afghanistan. On the other hand, Pepper had realized yesterday that it was actually Stephen’s presence that made Tony so cheerful. JARVIS had played yesterday’s conversation for her. They were clearly becoming good friends despite the constant snarking at each other. 

“Are you sure this is safe Tony?” Pepper asked. “I don’t…..what if something happens to you? I can’t come to help you.”

Tony’s gaze softened. “Don’t worry about me Pep. I’m taking J and the Mark 45. Remember it’s capable of handling space. Besides I’m not alone, Jane and Stephen are coming too and Thor is a friend. I trust him. You have that letter box he gave me. We can be pen pals!”

Pepper shook her head fondly. “You’ve made up your mind haven’t you? Fine. I admit it is kinda exciting to see an alien planet. Don’t get lost up there ok and you better write to me everyday or so help me I’ll build a spaceship just to come kick your ass!”

Tony saluted her. “Yes ma’am. Whatever you say ma’am!” 

Pepper smiled at Tony fondly. “Is that all Mr. Stark?”

Tony smiled and bent down to kiss her cheek. “Yes. Ms Potts that’s all. I will see you in a week.”

Tony bounded out of her office nearly running into some employees. Pepper put her pen down. Maybe she should call Christine. The other doctor was probably going to fume at Stephen disappearing for a week. And besides Pepper had found a kindred soul in her. Tony wasn’t the only one who’d made a friend.

**Dr. Stark’s Penthouse, Stark Tower, New York**.

Now that the humans were preoccupied Thor cupped Loki’s cheek and kissed him. “You worried me for a moment, disappearing like that in the Bifrost. I thought I lost you. You and Hela both.”

“Hmmm. Heimdall surprised us all. Who knew he could summon the Bifrost like that?” Loki groaned as he moved. He was still sore.

Thor gently rubbed his shoulders. “Are you hurt?”

Loki shook his head, “No. Just sore. Falling off the Bifrost takes its toll. The last thing I remember is Hela grabbing Heimdall’s neck. I hope she is alright.”

Thor grinned. “Oh. I don’t think we know anyone capable of beating her in a fight. She’ll be fine. You worry about how much Farbauti is going to fret over you when we get back.”

Loki looked at Thor in horror. “Oh dear Norns no! Did you tell her what happened to me?”

Thor shook his head, “No. But let’s be honest Loki she probably knows by now. As a matter of fact I’m surprised she hasn’t used the Bifrost to come here already.”

“Freyr must have convinced her somehow. He is exceptionally good at that. You do realize that Man of Iron and the good Doctor have no idea about our relationship don’t you?” Loki pointed out. 

Thor simply blinked at Loki. Loki rolled his eyes, poking one finger in Thor’s chest. “I’m the God of Mischief not you. It’s my job to give your friends heart attacks by shocking them with the news of our relationship.”

Thor kissed Loki again, just because he looked so cute when he pouted. “Don’t worry I’ll be sure to blame you once Anthony and Stephen recover.”

The elevator dinged and Thor sat back twirling a lock of Loki’s hair as Tony bounded in, frowning at the pair of them before shrugging and bouncing to his room to pack.

Loki saw that the doctor was now presumably arguing over the phone with someone. He decided to get up, but stumbled once he was upright. 

“Easy Lo.” Thor steadied Loki with an arm around his waist. “JARVIS is there any sweet food Loki can eat? He needs energy.”

“ _ There are muffins in the refrigerator Prince Thor and orange juice can help recover energy” _ JARVIS reported.

Thor led Loki to the dining table and carefully deposited him in one of the chairs. Loki slumped and put his head on the table. He was tired. It had been a long day. Thor pulled out the muffins. A bright pink with multi-colored frosting, clearly bought by someone as a joke and poured some juice for Loki, setting both things in front of him.

Loki didn’t have the energy to chew at the moment so he decided to sip the juice. It was cold and sweet. All in all perfect for him. Loki finished the entire glass in a minute, then looked at Thor expectantly. Thor chuckled pouring more juice for him.

“Huh. I didn't think aliens liked orange juice too.” Stephen commented, apparently having finished his conversation on the phone. 

“If it is cold and sweet Loki will never say no to it.” Thor replied “And we have fruits on Asgard. I am pretty sure juice is universal.”

Stephen looked at Loki, his head tilted. The man in front of him looked a far cry from the alien he had seen in the news. “How did you crash through the ceiling? Did someone attack you?”

Loki set his glass back on the table. “Yes. A prisoner, Heimdall escaped from the dungeons along with others. He was previously the guardian of the Bifrost. We had no idea he could summon it without using Hofund or the Bifrost mechanism. He pulled me and our sister with him and then we fought. I got kicked out and fell here.”

“You fell out of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge and are completely fine?” Stephen asked in wonder. “How fast can you recover from a wound?”

Loki shrugged. “Depends on my sedir….uh the core of magical energies in my body. If my sedir core is full and the wound is a simple flesh wound I can recover in less than a day. If the weapon is poisoned it can kill me which is what happened months ago. But generally speaking it takes a lot to hurt me. And I am not completely unscathed. My muscles ache as if I threw myself at a wall repeatedly.”

“Or we did ‘Get Help’ You complain every time that it causes sore muscles.” Thor said cheerily.

“Get help? Whose help?” Stephen asked, confused.

Loki glared at Thor. “I  **will** stab you. We are never doing that again! Ever. I am writing it down on a piece of paper and making you sign it! I swear it is going to be a foundation for our relationship! Oaf!”

“Oh come on! It’s a classic! It works every time. I know deep deep down you love it” Thor argued.

“I am very confused.” Stephen lamented. 

“I’ll explain” Thor turned to Stephen. “When we were kids we used to use this trick during the tactical tests. Loki would pretend he was injured and then when the other person was confused, I’d pick Loki up and throw him at them, bringing them down and winning!”

Stephen blinked then looked at Loki then back at Thor, finally parsing his words and then broke down into laughter at the image of Thor throwing Loki like a sack of potatoes at poor unsuspecting people that popped in his mind.

“I hate it! Stop telling everyone about that!” Loki huffed.

Stephen clutched his stomach and wiped the tears from his eyes. “I bet you can make a lot of money if you record it and load it on the internet. It would be viral in minutes!”

“I am a King, I have no lack of money.” Thor turned his nose up.

Stephen shook his head, “No I mean….” 

He trailed off as Tony bounded over to them in a deep red suit complete with a gold tie and red tinted shades. “I am ready!”

Stephen looked Tony up and down, squinting at the tiny iron man cufflinks. “Oh absolutely not! We are going to meet an alien race on an alien planet not a circus. You are not wearing that!”

Tony pulled off his shades. “What’s wrong with this? I call it my ‘I am Iron Man’ suit. See I even wore these cool cufflinks Rhodey gave me on christmas! So people know Iron Man  **and** Tony Stark are in the house!”

Stephen furrowed his brow. “Ok. I don’t think we have time for this. Dr. Stark with all due respect Tony Stark and Iron Man are one person not two. So you don’t need to announce Iron Man’s presence. You are Iron Man and Iron Man is you. I see no difference. Now please just go and wear something neutral. Like black. You cannot go wrong with black”

Tony blinked at Stephen. “Wh-what did you say?”

Stephen tilted his head at Tony. “You can’t go wrong with black?”

Tony waved a hand. “No! No! Before that about me and Iron Man!”

Stephen frowned. “Again with this. I said you are Iron Man and Iron Man is you. I see no difference. You don’t need to announce Iron Man’s presence separately. Now please go wear something neutral”

Tony gaped at Stephen for a minute and Stephen wondered what it was about. Loki and Thor looked at each other, having caught on what made Tony pause. But then Tony blinked.

“Yeah...yeah….maybe the tie is a bit much….I guess...I’ll….uh….I’ll be back in a minute” Tony left in a daze.

Stephen shrugged. The elevator dinged and Jane stepped out with two suitcases trailing behind her. “Ok. I’m all set. Should we all go to the roof for the Bifrost?”

“In a while Dr. Stark needs to change his clothes. And despite what Dr. Stark said, I need my own clothes. I convinced Christine to drop some off for me. They’ll be here any minute.” Stephen replied. 

“Oh Yeah. Happy that’s Harold from security dropped your suitcase off at my floor. JARVIS’ instructions. We want to limit the knowledge of Loki being here after all” Jane handed over Stephen’s suitcase.

“Thank you Dr. Foster.” Stephen opened it and noted that he had all the necessary things. He quickly sent a thank you message to Christine. His cellphone was probably going to become useless after this.

Tony finally came out with his own suitcases. This time thankfully wearing a normal black suit with transparent shades. He set the suitcases aside and the floor opened up revealing the Iron Man armor which wrapped itself around Tony. The helmet retracted so Tony’s face was visible.

“Ok. I’m ready.” Tony noticed Stephen had his own suitcase. “Hey wait a minute where’d you get that?”

“Christine has a key to my apartment. She brought it over. Explanation over. No more questions. Now come on, let’s go.” Stephen pulled his suitcase behind him and headed towards the elevator.

“Ah. Please wait Dr. Strange” Loki called out, finishing the last of the muffins. 

Stephen turned around one eyebrow raised. Loki got up with some effort but he was better than before. Thor cleared the table.

“The Bifrost is notoriously volatile as you must have noticed '' Loki pointed to the crater still in the penthouse floor. “You cannot hold your suitcase because you will be holding onto me. I will store the suitcases in my pocket dimension and you can retrieve it once you are on Asgard”

“Pocket Dimension?” Stephen asked.

Loki smirked, waving a hand casually in the air. All the suitcases disappeared into thin air.

Tony gasped. “Do that again. Do that again. J record this! Analyze the energy signature!”

Loki shook his head. “I’ll do it again, on Asgard. And you can record it then. For now, it is time to leave.”

Tony pouted. “Fine. J do a final check of all systems. FRIDAY baby girl can you hear me?”

“ _ Loud and clear Boss.” _ A young female voice spoke through the speakers that JARVIS had previously been speaking through.

“Good girl. The Tower is all yours. Initiate ‘Daddy’s Not Home’ protocol and disengage only on my command. Don’t play around too much.” Tony instructed.

“ _ Sure thing Boss. Bon Voyage.” _ FRIDAY said cheerily.

Tony nodded, “J we cool? All systems go? How’s the fit?”

“ _ A little tight Sir. But it will do” _ JARVIS spoke through the Iron Man armour.

Tony nodded to Thor. “Ok Point Break we’re ready to beam out.”

They all headed to the roof. Thor wrapped one arm around Jane’s waist and another around Tony’s. Loki wrapped an arm around Stephen’s waist. 

“Hold tight and don’t open your eyes. They will burn out.” Loki instructed.

Stephen gulped but then nodded, closing his eyes. Thor looked up at the sky. “ARMOD! OPEN THE BIFROST!”

The Bifrost opened. The building shook and they were off

TBC…..

  
  
  



	26. An Unexpected Turn of Events (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Freyr really wishes his nephews would stop inviting people to Asgard.

**The Throne Room, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Freyr sighed. This day was proving to be very long and arduous. “Lord Njal, please look for Hela as well. We need to retrieve her too. Has Odin been moved to a different room?”

Lord Stern nodded. “Yes King Freyr. Odin has been moved to another room in the same wing as King Thor and Prince Loki.”

Just then Farbauti came in all frantic. “Freyr what is this I hear about Heimdall stealing Loki away? Where is Loki?!!”

Freyr rubbed his forehead. “Farbauti….Loki is fine. Heimdall did indeed succeed in grabbing him when he was making his escape but Loki must have fought him off. We saw Loki on Midgard through the Hlidskjalf. Don’t worry Thor has gone to fetch him.”

“How can this be?” Farbauti fumed. “How did Heimdall escape the palace in the first place?”

“Queen Farbauti please. Heimdall managed to summon the Bifrost even without Hofund. We were unaware he could do so” Lady Sigrid looked scared of the Giantess.

“Oh leave it! I will go to Loki at once!” Farbauti turned to leave. 

“Farbauti wait! Please!” Freyr called out. Farbauti turned around. “Thor has gone to get Loki. They are on Midgard. They will be fine. Not much on Midgard is a threat to them and Thor has friends there. We need to find Hela first.”

Farbauti sighed. “Hela has shields that hide her from the Hlidskjalf. Let me try the dreamscape. If she is no longer travelling in the Bifrost Stream I will be able to contact her. But I am going to wait for Loki at the Bifrost after that.”

“Of course.” Freyr said easily. Farbauti closed her eyes and searched for Hela’s mind in the dreamscape.

When she opened her eyes she was in a strange garden. Hela was there in the center holding a piece of cloth in her hand. From experience Farbauti knew the cloth was not real but a memory. “Hela. Are you alright? We have been looking for you.”

Hela nodded. “Yes. Yes. I am fine. Heimdall is lost to us in case you were wondering. I threw him out of the Bifrost stream.”

Then Hela turned around as if she just realized something. “Wait. Loki! How is he? Have you found him?!”

Farbauti nodded. “Yes. Loki is fine. Fortunately he landed on Midgard. Thor has gone to fetch him. Are you sure you are alright dear? You look troubled.”

Hela shook her head. “Nothing. It’s….it’s nothing. Just something Heimdall said. Dredged up old memories. I….I am on Svartalvheim. I will lower my shields. Please send for the Bifrost.”

Farbauti pursed her lips, then nodded. “Yes of course. I will inform the others.” Farbauti broke the connection.

Back in the throne room, Farbauti informed Freyr that Hela was in Svartalvheim. Hela lowered her shields allowing Lord Njal to locate her through the Hlidskjalf. Armod who was currently manning the Bifrost opened the portal and let Hela through.

Lord Njal once again looked for Loki though the Hlidskjalf. They could see Thor and Loki on a rooftop with some humans. 

Freyr groaned internally. More people. “It seems we have guests from Midgard as well. Someone summon Ingrid and have her prep rooms.”

“I have never met a human. I hear they are very frail” Svol perked up. Well at least someone was happy.

“What is this armor that man is wearing?” Etri asked. “It is good craftsmanship.”

“I am going to the Bifrost now.” Farbauti announced and then promptly stomped off. 

“Oh Jane is also coming! I am going to greet her!” Zaaroc exclaimed before leaving as well.

Freyr looked at the Council members of Asgard who looked more confused than ever and smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

**Bifrost Dome, Asgard.**

Hela sighed as the Bifrost deposited her back on Asgard. Armod bowed to her and she nodded at him.

“Has Prince Loki come through yet?” Hela asked.

“No Your Grace.” Armod replied. “I am setting the Bifrost for Midgard now. King Thor is bringing over some guests with him. Please stand aside for their arrival.”

Hela’s eyebrows rose in surprise. A human had never been to Asgard. Well that was not true. Loki had explained that Thor had brought his then lover Jane Foster to Asgard but she had been possessed by the Aether so it made sense. This was….new. But not unwelcome. Especially when Hela craved distraction from the memories Heimdall had brought forth.

Farbauti arrived on Beli with Zaaroc in tow on a horse. They both dismounted and came to stand beside Hela.

Armod nodded to them then turned Hofund activating the Bifrost. The portal opened and in an instant Thor was there a man and a woman on each arm. Loki was beside him, holding another man.

Thor managed to hold his ground but Loki and the man with him both stumbled a little. 

As soon as Armod closed the Bifrost, Farbauti was crowding Loki. “Loki! Are you alright? I was so worried about you.”

The poor human male with Loki looked startled at the sight of Farbauti.

Loki bore Farbauti, coddling him for a minute before protesting. “Mother I am fine. I don’t even have a scratch. See!”

Zaaroc rushed to the woman, hugging her “Jane! How nice of you to come over! How are you?”

The other man with Thor looked around curiously. He was wearing a strange armor the likes of which Hela had never seen. The man spoke to someone Hela couldn’t see. “J? Hey J are you there?”

To Hela’s surprise a response came from within the armor. “ _Yes Sir. Give me a moment to calibrate all systems…...All systems functional. Analyzing nearby energy signatures.”_

“Awesome. Keep me posted.” The man looked at everyone greeting each other then stepped up to Hela holding out his hand. “Hey I am Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, philanthropist, ex-playboy and one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes according to the one-eyed pirate. Nice to meet you.”

Hela raised one eyebrow assessing the man in front of her. His manner was casual but his eyes were sharp belying the intelligence the man possessed. Hela gave him her most shark-like smile. “I am Hela, Odin’s Firstborn, Former Commander of the Valkyries, Rightful Heir to the Throne and the Goddess of Death”

Tony whistled. “Long list. I feel intimidated. Do you feel intimidated J? I think that introduction’s intimidating. Just for the sake of curiosity how literal is this Goddess of Death title?”

Despite Tony’s claims, Hela only saw curiosity in his eyes. There was no fear. Hela liked this man already. “I once killed every soldier in Afheim’s army without lifting a finger.”

Tony looked at Hela for a moment. “Cool. J make a note to never piss off Thor’s big sister.”

“ _Noted Sir. Shall I add her to the list of badass women you must never anger?”_ The voice within the armor asked.

“Yup. Push her to the top.” Tony peeked around Hela at Beli. “What’s that? Some kind of alien horse?”

Hela chuckled. “No. Beli is a frost beast. They are quite common on Jotunheim along with Direwolves.”

“Neat. Is everything from Jotunheim gigantic? Why’s Lolo so small then? He’s from there too right?” Tony asked.

Before Hela could answer that question. Thor put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Anthony! I see you’ve met my sister Hela. Hela, this is Anthony Stark. He’s a very gifted weapons maker. He made this armor himself. It can withstand my lightning!”

Hela looked back at Anthony surprised. “Really? Now that is fascinating. I would love to see it sometime.”

Thor nodded, then pulled Jane to get her attention. “This is Jane! And that is Dr. Stephen Strange. He’s a healer.”

“Hi” Jane said shyly. Thor turned to Armod. “Armod keep Hofund with you. Fetch us some horses and have Ingrid prepare some rooms for our guests near my rooms. Has Odin been moved?”

Armod nodded. “Yes Your Grace. Odin has been moved closer to you. The council and other royal delegates are in the Throne Room. I have had the debris in the vault cleared out and all items secured in a separate room. It is evening, the Council of the Nine has not resumed yet. Sif and Volstagg have been secured back in the dungeons with twice the guard”

Thor nodded. “I doubt we can continue today. We need rest. Hela what happened to Heimdall?”

Hela shrugged. “I tossed him out of the Bifrost stream. Not my best move. With his powers weakened, Heimdall is either dead or too injured to harm us. Whatever his condition, he will not be able to pull the stunt he did today anytime soon.”

“Still I think we should stick to the secret paths for a while.” Loki came up to them. He looked tired. 

“And we will” Hela replied. “But for now I think we need food, lots of food.”

“I am still hungry too.” Loki commented.

“Lost a lot of energy?” Zaaroc asked

“Yes.” Loki sighed leaning against Thor. Farbauti frowned at him, clearly still worried.

“Thor send Loki ahead with Beli. He has drained his sedir too much. He needs to rest.” Farbauti motioned to Beli.

Beli the frost beast came forward. Tony looked at it with wide eyes. Stephen came to stand on Tony’s other side wary of the strange animal.

“Here Beli. Down.” Beli lowered itself for Farbauti. Loki climbed on Beli’s back and sat in the saddle specially made for it. 

“Don’t pull the reins too hard. Beli is more intelligent than your average horse. He doesn’t need much guidance. He understands what you say perfectly.” Farbauti instructed.

Loki nodded. “Thank you mother. I will see you back at the palace. Please do join us for dinner.” Loki pulled Beli’s reins gently. “To the palace Beli.”

Beli grunted and rose again, stomping away. Armod came in with horses for everyone. Hela easily climbed hers. Thor helped Jane up and the healer seemed to know horses well enough to climb on his own horse without help. But Anthony didn’t climb on.

“Go on, I'll follow in the armor. Don’t want to overburden the horse. What’s the palace look like again?” Anthony asked.

“Big, ugly and gold. Can’t miss it.” Zaaroc supplied.

Farbauti laughed. “Oh. I am describing it like that from now on.”

“Cool” The helm of Anthony’s armor snapped shut, covering his entire face. Then to Hela’s surprise Anthony’s armor rose off the ground. Apparently it could fly.

“Last one there is a rotten egg!” Anthony exclaimed flying off in the direction of the city.

“What are you five?!!” The healer-Stephen exclaimed.

Thor laughed and galloped after Anthony trying to catch up. 

Hela looked at Farbauti for a moment before shrugging and galloping after them. She never lost at anything and she would hate to start now….

TBC…..


	27. An Unexpected Turn of Events (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Stephen is overwhelmed by all the strange alien beings and Loki shares his experience with Thor

**Banquet Hall, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

After Tony’s ridiculous contest where he lost miserably to Thor’s sister. They all went to the dining room which like the rest of the palace was huge and over decorated with the color gold. Stephen rubbed his eyes. The bloody golden sheen was already hurting his eyes. Not to mention the golden chairs and the golden plates and the fucking golden cutlery. Who kept golden cutlery?!!

At least the food wasn’t golden. If it had been Stephen would have stabbed someone with a fork. Loki’s mother who was a good head taller than Thor and blue was a surprisingly gentle woman. Thor’s sister looked more like Loki’s sister and his half brother was an honest to God elf. Then there were the delegates from the other realms as Thor called them. The dwarf was even taller than Loki’s mother and it made Stephen wonder if the myths about dwarves were wrong. Then there was a strange being that Thor introduced as Svol the fire demon. Stephen was still unsure how literal that was. But Svol certainly looked the part. Another too tall being with glowing fiery eyes and wicked curved horns. Jane and Tony seemed to take this in stride but Stephen had stared for a touch too long before remembering his manners. 

Stephen felt as if that was all he had done since he got here. He stared at the walls and at the guards and at the impossible rainbow colored bridge and the strange blue animal and these giant alien beings. Asgard was beautiful no doubt about it. All the structures were elegantly built and it was a strange mix of old school renaissance fair and high tech alien technology that was constantly referred to as magic. Stephen snorted. Magic. How ridiculous. 

Thor and Loki seemed glued to each other. They scarcely went without touching each other. Something about their behaviour seemed non-brotherly. But no one else at the table found it odd so Stephen brushed it off. It was not like he knew how alien fraternal relations were like. 

“And then Anthony’s armor absorbed my lightning and threw it back at me!” Thor exclaimed, loudly. He was retelling his first meeting with Tony. Loudly. Very loudly. Stephen didn’t think Thor had an indoor voice. That sounded more like Loki’s area.

A servant came and poured an amber colored liquid in Stephen’s wine glass. “Mead, My Lord.”

Stephen frowned at it and went to pick the glass up but Zaaroc put a hand on it. “No. That’s way too strong for a human. It will give you alcohol poisoning. Please don’t drink any alcohol here unless it's watered down. It’s designed for Aesir biology, not human. I’ll instruct the servants.”

Stephen nodded gratefully. Tony nudged him. “Hey Steph. You alright over there? You’ve been kinda silent you know….”

“Yes. I am fine. Just a bit overwhelmed? It’s one thing to see an alien on the TV another to see them in real life. I was so excited I forgot to consider that I’m just a doctor.” Stephen replied.

“Just a doctor! Nope! You’re the best in your field Steph! You did your MD and PhD together. Do you know how hard that is? Don’t beat down on yourself. Look I’ll be honest Devil’s little cousin over there makes me nervous too. And everyone here seems to adore Loki so much I’m worried we might not reach a decision they like and they’ll I don’t know…...feed us to Beli or something. But we’re here together. We’ll do this together. Come on. The food’s nice, the watered down wine’s great and the decor is…..well it’s actually terrible. Too much gold. But we’re here sitting at a table with aliens from all over the galaxy. How many people can say they did that?! We’re making history Steph. Stop moping.” Tony happily popped a big grape like fruit in his mouth then immediately spit it out. “Ack! What the hell?!!! This grape tastes like ash!!”

Aforementioned Devil’s cousin guffawed. “Oh that’s not a grape Lord Stark. It’s an ash berry! From Muspelheim my home realm. It is rather lovely for us, fire demons.”

“And like eating coal for the rest of us.” Zaaroc added handing over a glass of water to Tony.

Stephen bit his lip to hold in his laughter as Tony complained that they should label the damn coal berries and who put it here anyways?! 

“Maybe you should try the wiggle weeds” Hela suggested eating what looked like an eel.

“Do try the snake soup mother brought over.” Loki added. 

Stephen was pretty sure Loki made that one up. But it had the desired effect. 

Tony attempted to push the table which of course did not work since it was made of solid gold. He did manage to loudly scrape his chair on the floor. “Nope! Changed my mind! Not hungry. I’ll fast for a week, no biggie. I prefer to live on coffee anyway. I think I’ll go to my room now. Come along J!”

JARVIS who had been using the Iron Man armor to walk around followed Tony out. Thor turned to a woman that Stephen now recognized as the overseer of the palace. “Make sure he doesn’t get lost in the palace, Ingrid.”

Ingrid bowed and left. Etri the giant dwarf looked rather sad. “I wanted him to try the rock fruit I brought from Nidavillr.”

Everybody save for Jane and Stephen groaned and even the servants made a face.

“Nobody likes that stupid fruit! It’s disgusting!” Zaaroc scrunched his nose.

“Please don’t feed him that, Etri. It’s hallucinogenic! Lord Stark’s biology won’t be able to handle it.” Freyr Thor’s uncle advised.

Stephen popped a piece of bread in his mouth. Maybe Tony was right. This was not so bad after all….

**Tony, Stephen and Jane’s Combined Quarters, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

After eating enough food to last two days, Thor very enthusiastically showed Stephen and Jane the weapon’s room. His enthusiasm, not dampening in the slightest when they didn’t react as expected. Loki trailed along with them for the sole purpose of telling anecdotes of Thor falling over things and making a fool of himself. 

Thor had insisted it was all Loki’s fault and then told a really weird story about Loki turning into a snake and stabbing him. Stephen was still unsure if that was something that actually happened or if Thor was just messing with them. In the end Loki noticed Jane looking tired and glared at Thor until he cut the tour short and dropped Stephen and Jane off at their rooms.

Stephen had expected a bedroom with a bathroom but what they had was thrice the size of Stephen’s apartment back home. Their quarters as Thor had called it were a set of rooms including a circular living room from which there were doors to each of their bedrooms. There was no kitchen but there was a study and dining room all connected to the living room. They all had their own bathrooms and wardrobes. Stephen’s bed was big enough for four full grown people. The bedrooms thankfully did not have the gaudy gold decor of the dining hall and each room seemed to reflect their personality. The smile Loki had given when Jane said she loved her room led Stephen to believe he had something to do with it. Not that Stephen was complaining. Loki had dropped off their suitcases and Thor instructed them on how to call the servants if they needed anything. Thor and Loki’s rooms were just down the hall and guards were posted permanently in the hallway though Loki said they changed shifts.

Stephen did not actually feel sleepy since for him it had been only a few hours since he had woken up and he briefly wondered if there was something like a jet lag that his body was experiencing. After putting away his things in the wardrobe not bothering to unpack them Stephen decided to find his companions.

Tony was in the living room, the Iron Man armor in sentry mode in one corner. He was setting up what looked like a laptop. Jane was sitting on the sofa reading from a big book.

Tony perked up when he saw Stephen. “Hey Doc! You wouldn’t believe the readings I’ve managed to capture so far. I could spend my whole life studying these.”

Stephen sat beside Tony. “You brought a laptop? Won’t it run out of battery? I didn’t see any wall sockets here. I don’t think these lights run on electricity.”

“No they don’t. J analyzed them and they’re pure energy. It’s awesome.” Tony showed him some readings that made no sense to him. “The laptop runs on my special homemade battery. It can run for six months without charge. It’ll be fine. I need it in case I have to do some maintenance on the armor.”

“The dwarves seemed to like the armor a lot.” Jane commented.

“Yeah. Erti….no Etri. Yeah that’s his name. Etri said and I quote ‘This is wonderful craftsmanship Lord Stark. You should visit the forge in Nidavellir sometime.’ So I guess I now have an invitation to another planet.” Tony beamed.

“When did Thor say we can visit the medical wing of the palace?” Jane asked.

“Tomorrow afternoon” Stephen replied. “Thor said that the Council of Asgard still had some matters to sort out before they could resume with the bigger council. He was very excited for his training session with his sister Hela. We are all invited.”

“Ooh I’d love to see that!” Jane sat up excited. “You know last time I saw Thor he was able to summon his lightning without Mjolnir. At dinner Loki said they’ll test it out properly tomorrow. I bet we can get even more readings from their fight.”

“J make a separate folder for Thor and Hela and be sure to take readings tomorrow. I’ll crack this whole magic thing once and for all.” Tony ordered.

“ _Certainly Sir. I see faint energy readings in the room as well”_ JARVIS reported.

“You know it is odd that our rooms are not a horrible gold like the rest of the palace.” Stephen pointed out.

Jane waved dismissively. “That’s probably Loki’s doing. He can be perceptive like that.”

“I noticed that all the other delegates seemed very happy to see Loki in one piece. It’s like you said Tony. They seem to adore him.” Stephen said.

“Yeah….the servants and the guards like him too. And Lolo isn’t that bad. Most of the time he’s only interested in mocking Thor. Not exactly what I imagined an ex-invader would be like. Makes me think this mind control theory Thor had holds more weight than we thought.” Tony typed something on his laptop

Stephen nodded. “We’ll see tomorrow I guess. Do we have a library in here? I want to see if I can find a book on Asgardian medicine”

Jane pointed to the study. “We don’t have a full fledged library but we have books in the study. That’s where I got this. I’m sure they have something on medicine.”

Stephen nodded gratefully. He went over to the study and picked a book on ‘healing arts’ since it seemed like the closest thing to a book on medicine and then went back to the living room sitting between Jane and Tony, and decided to read till morning.

**Thor and Loki’s Private Quarters, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Loki looked out the window as Thor pittered in the background removing his armor. He sighed when Thor came up behind him and wrapped an arm around his waist, pushing his hair to the side kissing his neck.

Thor hummed. “What’re you thinking?”

“I wonder where Heimdall is. Do you think he’s still alive?” Loki asked as leaned back into Thor.

Thor wrapped his other arm around Loki and rested his chin on Loki’s shoulder. “I don’t know. Do you want him to be alive?”

Loki bit his lip. “I don’t know…..”

Thor fingered Loki’s tunic. “Then let’s not think about it for now. We can spend our time more productively.” 

Loki looked at Thor from the corner of his eyes. “Really? And what do you propose we do?”

Thor loosened the ties on Loki’s tunic. His hand was like a furnace against Loki’s cool skin. Thor mouthed at Loki’s neck. “I can think of a few things….”

Loki turned and wrapped his arms around Thor’s neck, kissing him, but stopped Thor when he went to push Loki’s tunic off. Thor felt nervousness pour over the bond.

Thor looked at him confused, “Lo? What is it?”

Loki bit his lip. “You said…..you said if I ever wanted to talk about…..about the Void you’d listen. Does that offer still stand?”

Thor blinked at Loki in surprise. Loki always avoided that topic and Thor had accepted that Loki might never tell him about it. This was unexpected.

Thor brushed a lock of Loki’s hair behind his ear. Loki looked scared. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Loki nodded. “I want to. I have to. I hate running away from things. And not talking about it feels like running away from it. Besides if we want the humans to believe us I have to testify don’t I? But I want you to hear this here, now. Can we….can we go to Mother’s garden? The room is stifling me…”

Thor fixed Loki’s tunic and nodded. “Of course.”

He grasped Loki’s hand firmly and together they both went to Frigga’s personal gardens. The plants were asleep and crickets chirped. The garden having been maintained by Ingrid in Frigga’s absence. It was peaceful. Loki breathed in the fresh. Memories of the void and then his imprisonment had left a deep need for open spaces. Where once Loki might have holed himself up in a secluded corner of the palace, now he liked being surrounded by people in the open air. It assured him that he was free.

Thor and Loki sat on a marble bench beside a small pond. Thor waited patiently for Loki to begin. Loki rubbed his palm with his thumb in a nervous gesture he had picked up from Frigga.

Loki sighed looking at the sky, then at Thor. “When I fell into the Void…..it felt like I fell for hours. All I remember is the darkness and then pain. I later learned that….a creature whose name was simply the Other was looking in the void. To see if he could find someone for his master. I was unfortunate to have been falling at that very moment…..”

Loki paused a faraway look on his face. The bond was a jumble of emotions. Thor twined his fingers with Loki’s and squeezed gently. Loki gripped Thor’s hand like a lifeline.

“The Other lived on a barren rock at the edges of the Andromeda galaxy. He served a Titan called Thanos” Loki whispered the name

Thor could feel the fear Loki felt. Loki reached with his other hand and touched Thor’s temple projecting the image of the Other and of Thanos the Titan. Thor committed them to memory. He would remember these faces. These beings had hurt Loki. Thor will remember their faces and he will make them pay.

Loki continued his tale. “When I first laid eyes on the Other, he was kind to me. I was severely injured for though the Other had saved me from the Void, he could not mitigate the wounds the fall had caused. The Other nursed me back to health, all the while telling me how fortunate I was that I had been found by him. 

I was injured and hurt by all that had transpired back home. I didn’t want to go back. At least not then. Once I was well enough to walk, the Other took me to see his master Thanos. Thanos wanted to know where I’d come from. What my station was in my home world. He wanted to know about Asgard, about the people, about my family. I...I was hesitant to tell. I sensed that his intentions were not all good.

I gave as little information as I could. Skipping details, feeding false information. Even then angry as I was I didn’t want to hurt you or mother or the people. Not like this. But Thanos….he’s not a kind being. Oh he believes he is. He thinks he’s a saviour, a hero. But it couldn’t be farther from the truth. When Thanos realized I would not betray my people he showed his true colors.

He locked me in the dungeons he had built on the rock where the Other lived. There he also bred creatures called Outriders. Mindless beasts that feel nothing and obey Thanos completely. Thanos’ dungeon...well it was more a cell with no windows, no food or water, no way of knowing how much time had passed. It was connected to the cells where the Outriders slept and every night….or what I assume was night the Outriders would bang the walls of my cell trying to get in. So I couldn’t even sleep in that damned cell.

I have no idea how much time I spent there. I was going mad there. All alone with only those mindless beasts, always worrying if they today might be the day they managed to break the walls of my cell. I had no weapons, my sedir refused to work. It felt like eternity in a pit of despair. I….didn’t mean to….but I broke. I begged Thanos to let me out. That I would tell him whatever he wanted. I begged for days before Thanos finally commanded the Other to free me.

But once I was out my common sense came back and I again gave faulty information to Thanos. But this time Thanos did not fall for it. He was fed up with me not co-operating. So…..he….gave the Other complete freedom to extract information by any means necessary….”

Loki paused again, gripping Thor’s hand so hard that Thor could feel his bones creaking. Thor opened his mouth to say something but Loki shook his head. “No….let me finish….I won’t….I won’t be able to speak again if I stop now….I…..the Other was fascinated with my ability to heal. The Other cut chunks off my organs just to see how fast they’d grow back. He’d leave the wounds open and let the Outriders lick them. Their toxins in their saliva slowed my healing and made it painful. Then once the wounds were healed, the Other would come and give me new wounds and set the Outriders on me again.

I suffered from another spell where I had no awareness of time. The pain eclipsed all of it. Thanos fed me the bare minimum my body needed to survive. It was only my sedir, weak as it was that kept me alive. Still I refused to tell Thanos what he wanted. Many times my heart almost gave out. Almost. Not that I cared. If I perished the pain would stop. That was all I wanted. But Thanos did not want to lose the information I had so he kept me alive much to my dismay.

Then one day the Other stopped cutting into me. He let my wounds heal and fed me more than before. I was so grateful the pain had stopped that I did not consider why he changed his mind. That was the first time I saw the Scepter. The Other showed it to me and said it was a very special weapon. That only the most worthy could wield it. Then he touched the tip of the Scepter to my forehead. 

I….I tried to fight back. I did. I held my mental shields as long as I could but the Scepter held an infinity stone and no matter how hard I tried the Scepter tore through them. So I broke my own psyche. I cut off pieces that were important to me. The pieces that made me Loki and locked them in the deepest subconscious I could reach. The Scepter amplified the negative emotions and without my core psyche there were no morals keeping me from lashing out. Thanos gave me the Chitauri and poisoned my mind. He convinced me that I needed to prove my worth to Odin and that I could do it by ruling a realm of my own. All he wanted was the Tesseract and for me to serve his cause. Everything after that is a haze.

I remember bits and pieces. I remember Thanos handing me the Scepter. I remember landing on Earth. I remember you. You almost coaxed my hidden psyche out there in that forest when you begged me to come home. But the influence of the Scepter was too strong and the Other had also marked his own hold on my mind. 

Still the subconscious part of my mind thwarted my own plans. Leaving loopholes that you and the Avengers exploited. The only part of the attack on New York that I remember is you on Stark’s tower asking me to stop. Telling me that it was not too late. The Other’s hold had weakened by then. Time and distance favoring me. But it was not until that green beast attempted to kill me that the hold truly broke.

After that Odin just tossed me that cell without once asking how I even managed to survive the void. The cell brought back bad memories but I used the time to piece my psyche back together. Since I was back in the nine realms my sedir recovered. Piece by piece I stitched my psyche back together. I made sure I remembered everything. Even if the memories were painful or felt like a dream. To prevent another spiral of hopelessness I used my sedir to cast illusions to amuse myself though mother warned me against it. But I had to do something to keep the gloom at bay. I counted the minutes. I studied the prisoners. I made plans of getting back at Thanos. Then one the guards brought in the Kursed and the rest…...well you know….I wonder if maybe I could have done something to stop Thanos to prevent the disaster in New York….to save mother…..I suppose I’ll never know…..”

As soon as Loki stopped speaking he found himself in a crushing hug, his head tucked under Thor’s chin. Loki could feel tears drip on his hair. 

“It was not your fault Loki. None of it. You did the best you could. There was nothing more you could have done. Nothing. Don’t blame yourself. I don’t. If anything this is Odin’s fault. You would never have been in the Void if not for Odin’s lies. And I could have prevented the attack on New York if I hadn’t been so stubborn. I should’ve realized you were not yourself. I could have done more. I am sorry that I did not. I hope you can forgive me…” Thor hugged Loki tighter.

Loki pulled back, blinking back the tears that had formed in his eyes. “You did try. You tried to reason with me more than once…..”

Thor shook his head. “It wasn’t enough. I let Fury imprison you. I never stopped to consider why you didn’t just use your sedir. There is more to your power than creating illusions. I should have realized something was off when you didn’t use it to its full extent. And let’s be honest Loki, the Tesseract could have been used to create a portal much larger than the one the actually opened in New York. You bottlenecked the Chitauri.”

Loki bit his lip. That attack still haunted him. Thor and everyone told him it wasn’t his fault but really it had been Loki’s hands, his mind, his plans that brought the Chitauri to New York no matter what anyone said. The guilt sat heavy in his heart.

Thor sighed. “Lo. We cannot change the past. I know the guilt is hard to ignore. Everytime I look at Farbauti I’m amazed she doesn’t blame me for what I did. For foolishly attacking the Jotun. I almost caused another war. Not to mention I would have been a terrible king if I had ascended to the throne. But I can’t change the past no matter how much I worry over it. No one can. All we can do is forge a better future. You were forced into attacking New York. You cannot change that but together we can ensure it never happens again. We can help the humans protect themselves. We can fight for them. It won’t change the past but it will change the future. Isn’t that what most people want: a better future? We….you can help the humans achieve it.”

“Do you think it will make up for the past?” Loki asked.

Thor shrugged. “I don’t know. But we have to try. We can’t not do anything.”

Loki nodded. “Yes. You’re right. Not doing anything is worse than trying and failing. I do like the humans. It is true their lives are short but they are so creative. I’ve always admired it. Their perseverance is commendable. They always try their best. Perhaps our people can learn that. To try against all odds.”

“And they are very accepting. I am sure they will accept you in time Loki. We just have to try” Thor stroked Loki’s cheek.

Loki nodded hugging Thor again, basking in his warmth and if Loki shed a few tears for everything that had happened, Thor didn’t mention it, only held Loki tight and poured his love over their bond and vowed to hunt Thanos and all with him. They would pay for what they had done. Thor would ensure it.

TBC….


	28. The Winter Soldier? (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of fights on the Freeway and long dead friends (who are not that dead)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember that this is an alternate universe and since CA:TWS is the winter soldier's first appearance in the MCU he falls in the the category of characters that can be a little different from canon universe.

**Somewhere on the Freeway, Washington DC.**

Sam drove the car with Steve beside him and Jasper and Natasha in the back seat. They were headed for SHIELD HQ. 

“HYDRA doesn’t like leaks.” Jasper piped up from the backseat.

“Then why don’t you try sticking a cork in it” Sam suggested.

“Insight’s launching in 16 hours we’re cutting it a little close here” Natasha pointed out.

Steve sighed, “I know. We’ll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the hellicarriers directly”

“What?! Are you crazy?!! That is a terrible terrible idea!” Jasper exclaimed.

Suddenly there was a thump on the car’s roof and a metal arm broke the window on Jasper’s side pulling him out and throwing him in the oncoming traffic. Natasha watched shocked as a truck went over Jasper killing him. Someone was on the roof. Natasha leaped in the front seat in Steve’s lap just as someone started shooting them through the roof. Steve pulled the handbrake making the person on the roof fall on the road. It was the masked assassin that Natasha referred to as the Winter Soldier.

The Asset used his metal arm to stop his fall and stood up. Cars zoomed past him but he ignored them, focusing on his targets. The Widow pulled out a gun to shoot him but Rumlow hit their car from behind bringing them to the Asset. He once again climbed on the roof of the car. The Asset pulled out their steering wheel. 

“Shit!”, the driver who was an unknown exclaimed. The asset took his picture with the hidden lens in his goggles. 

“Узнай кто это” He ordered Rumlow whilst climbing onto his jeep. Rumlow hit the car in front of them again making it swerve. It was not possible to slow the car down now.

The Asset watched with narrowed eyes as that soldier…..Steve used his shield to escape the tumbling car with his friends. The Asset was going to tear him from limb to limb.

“The unknown is Sam Wilson ex-Paratrooper. Not sure why he’s here.” Rumlow reported.

“Его похороны. Дай мне мой пистолет” The Asset ordered.

Rumlow stopped the jeep blocking the road. Another agent handed the Asset his gun. The Asset aimed it at Steve Rogers and fired. The missile hit Steve’s shield throwing him off the freeway and into a bus. The force toppled the bus and caused an accident not that the Asset cared. He just wanted Steve Rogers to die. _“No. Please. He’s my friend.”_ the voice spoke in his mind again. The Asset shoved it down. He had no friends. He didn’t need them.

The other agents shot at the remaining targets. The Widow dogged them and tried to cross over to the other side. The Asset took aim and shot another missile. It hit a car and the Widow was knocked off the bridge as well. An agent handed him another gun. The Asset knew the Widow was not dead. She was better trained than that. He waited for her to appear from underneath the bridge. 

He saw the bus which Steve Rogers had crashed into. The man should be dead but it was best to be sure. The Asset took aim only to be interrupted as the Widow shot him through the gaps in the bridge. The Asset took cover. He removed his goggles tossing them aside. These people were beginning to piss him off. It was not good to piss him off. He angrily shot through the gap but the Widow had moved.

She shot at him once from beside a nearby ambulance and then started running. The Asset cracked his neck. “Она у меня. Найти его” He jumped off the bridge and followed the Widow.

Inside the bus, Steve finally gasped awake. He was disoriented for a moment before remembering what had happened. He saw a woman get out of the bus with her child. He went to help her when a volley of bullets hit the bus. Steve looked around for his shield and saw it through the window on the road. He somehow managed to get to it and used it as a cover against the bullets. He had to find Natasha and Sam.

He used his shield and a bullet ricochet off it hitting one of the gunmen. Steve moved forward. From the bridge Sam shot another gunman having acquired a gun. Steve advanced towards the last gunman and hit him with the shield knocking him out. More gunmen came and began shooting at Steve.

“Go! I got this!” Sam assured, aiming for them.

Meanwhile the Asset casually fired a missile at a police vehicle, blowing it up. People stopped their cars and clambered out running away at the sight of him. The Asset liked this. Usually he worked in the shadows but this was nice. He looked around trying to spot the Widow.

He heard her voice coming from somewhere. He took out a special bomb and rolled it under a car. It hit the pavement and blew up. But the Widow was not there. The Asset narrowed his eyes, confused. Just then the Widow jumped him. She knocked the gun out of his hands and wrapped her legs around his torso. She tried to choke him with a wire but he picked her up and threw her on the road.

He picked his gun up and was about to shoot her when she threw a taser tag at his metal arm. Shock invertebrates through his arm. The Asset struggled for a moment before pulling the tag off. “Сука” He cracked his metal knuckles and rolled his shoulder, chasing after the widow.

Natasha ran as fast as she could. She knew when she was outdone and at the moment she was outdone. “Get out of the way! Stay out of the way!” She pushed the people aside. 

Suddenly someone shot her from behind. Natasha gasped, taking cover behind a car. She looked around. She saw the Winter Soldier climb on a car and aim his missile gun at her. Her heartbeat erratically in her chest. She didn’t want to die. 

But before the Winter Soldier could fire Steve came running to him. The Winter Soldier was distracted and went to punch Steve only to be stopped by his shield. The Winter Soldier kicked Steve, then shot at him. But Steve used his shield to block the punch. The winter soldier rolled off the car and shot at Steve using another gun.

The Asset glared at Steve Rogers. He grit his teeth. Why won’t this bloody idiot die?! He shot at Steve but the blasted shield blocked his bullets. Steve ran towards him and kicked the gun out of his hands. The Asset pulled another gun and tried to shoot at Steve’s head. Again the shield blocked him and Steve kicked the gun out of his hands a second time. The Asset growled charging at Steve and grabbing his shield. He managed to get a few punches in but Steve was enhanced and recovered where others might have fallen. 

The Asset managed to wrest the shield out of Steve’s hand and kick him, sending him skidding on the road. Steve looked at him worried. That expression sparked something in the Asset's mind. Frustrated, he threw the shield at Steve and it logged itself in a nearby van. The Asset pulled out his favorite knife. He was going to carve Steve that would make him feel better.

He charged at Steve with the knife. But Steve’s reflexes were on par with his. Steve managed to block his attacks. They parried for a while before Steve managed to punch him and kick him in the stomach making him drop the knife. The Asset smiled. A challenge he liked. He charged at Steve again, this time with his second favorite knife. They fought neither of them managing to get the upper hand.

Steve huffed as he was punched in the face again. If not for his enhanced healing his face would be black and blue right now. This guy was enhanced. Steve was sure of it. There was no other way he could keep up with Steve for so long. Steve struggled to breathe as the man grabbed him by the throat with his metal arm. He couldn’t see the guy’s face but his eyes were crinkling almost like he was smiling. Bastard was enjoying choking the life out of Steve. 

Steve managed to break out his hold. He barely dodged being knifed in the face. The knife scratched a van as Steve fought to gain the upper hand. He managed to gain some distance between himself and the assassin. He saw his shield and quickly grabbed it, throwing it at the assassin. The assassin flipped out of the way but the shield managed to catch him mid flip and his mask clattered on the ground. 

When he turned to face Steve, his heart stopped. Standing before him was a man Steve had seen die. A man that had once been everything to Steve. A man he had failed. “Bucky…?”

The Asset looked at Steve confused. “Bucky? Who's Bucky? That name had woken the voice again. The Asset could feel the voice trying to claw its way out. He didn’t like this. He went to attack Steve but someone kicked him from behind. It was Sam Wilson. He could see the Widow from the corner of his eye. He was outnumbered. The voice had managed to come to the surface. “ _Stop! Don’t hurt him! Please!”_ From the other side the Widow shot his own missile at him. The Asset took advantage of the distraction and fled.

“Захватить их” He ordered through the comms. Rumlow could deal with these clowns. He needed to get a hold of the voice and remind it of its place. The Asset clutched his head as the voice fought harder than it had ever before.

Steve blinked, still getting over the shock of seeing Bucky alive. Several SUVs pulled up. Rumlow climbed out with STRIKE. They were completely surrounded.

“Drop the shield Cap. Get on your knees!” Rumlow shouted. “Get on your knees!!”

Steve, still in a daze, dropped his shield and held up his hands in surrender. Rumlow kicked him so he was on his knees and cuffed him. Rollins pointed a gun at his head. Overhead a news helicopter filmed them. 

“Not here. Put the gun down.” Rumlow whispered. “Not here! We’re being watched.”

Rollins reluctantly lowered his gun. They were all loaded in a van. Steve still couldn’t believe what he had just seen.

“It was him.” Steve said. “He looked right at me like he didn’t even know me.”

“How’s that even possible? It was 70 years ago.” Sam asked.

“Zola” Steve realized. “Bucky’s whole unit was captured in ‘43. Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him and…”

“None of that’s your fault Steve.” Natasha interrupted. 

Steve looked away. “Even when I had nothing. I had Bucky.”

Natasha groaned in pain. Sam looked at her worried. “We need a doctor here. If we don’t put pressure on that wound, she’s gonna bleed out here in the truck.” He insisted.

One of the guards fired up the taser baton. But then to Sam’s surprise shoved it in his partner’s chest. The guard kicked his partner, knocking him out. 

He removed his helmet. “Ah. That thing was squeezing my brain.” Sam saw that it was a woman not a man.

The woman looked at Sam. “Who is this guy?”

“Maria” Steve smiled. “I have to say it's good to see you.”

Maria nodded. “Yeah..yeah...save it. I haven’t rescued you yet.”

Maria unlocked their cuffs. The SUVs bumped as they went into a narrow lane. 

“We need to hurry. We only have one shot. Can you handle this Nat?” Maria looked at her worried.

“Yeah. Piece of cake. Come’on” Natasha slumped to the floor of the van.

Maria took out a pen that was a laser and began cutting the floor of the van. They had stopped. She kicked the floor and a hole was formed. Maria went through first, opening the sewer lid and climbing down. Steve and Sam helped Natasha down. Then Sam went through. Steve went through last.

Maria led them through the sewer. She climbed up after checking the tunnels a few times. They were in an abandoned warehouse. From there Maria led them to a car with fake number plates and they all climbed in. Maria led them to the Dam. Apparently Fury had kept a safe house there.

“GSW. She’s lost at least a pint” Maria called out as Dr. Fine came running to them.

“Maybe two” Sam put in.

“Let me take her.” Dr. Fine replied

Maria shook her head. “She’ll want to see him first.”

Natasha looked at her confused. Maria led them to a room where to Steve’s shock and surprise, Fury was lying alive and breathing, though he was in a hospital bed.

“About damn time..” Fury commented.

TBC.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Узнай кто это - Find out who it is  
> Его похороны. Дай мне мой пистолет - His funeral. Give me my gun  
> Она у меня. Найти его - I have it. Find him  
> Сука - Bitch  
> Захватить их - Grab them


	29. The Winter Soldier? (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Steve is really fed up of supposedly dead people not being dead, the Asset **hates** Steve Rogers and Bucky decides to fight back because enough is enough.

**Fury’s Secret Safe House, Washington DC**.

Steve watched Fury, anger rising in him slowly. It was true that Fury was in a hospital bed, but he didn’t look that injured. Certainly not for a guy who was supposed to be dead. Dr. Fine pulled the bullet out of Natasha’s shoulder.

“Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver and one hell of a headache.” Fury informed.

Then he groaned and twitched on the bed. Dr. Fine was immediately at his side. Thin golden lines appeared in Fury's face before disappearing. Fury gasped. Dr. Fine tapped at a tablet and took a scan.

“Huh. Well good news is your collapsed lung is no longer collapsed. Bad news is everything else is still there. I think we should give you another dose” He reported.

Fury coughed then pawed at his side table handing a vial of clear liquid to Dr. Fine. “No...no...I’ll live. Give it to Nat over there. She looks at death’s door.”

Dr. Fine pursed his lips and looked from Fury to Natasha then nodded. He filled the liquid from the vial in a syringe and then came over to Natasha.

“This might hurt a little.” He injected the liquid in Natasha’s arm then looked at Natasha expectantly.

Natasha frowned and tilted her head in confusion then clutched the rail of Fury’s bed. She seemed to be going into some kind of shock.

“What’ve you done to her?” Steve demanded rushing to her. 

“Give it a minute, you’ll see” Fury sat up a little.

Natasha looked at Steve with fearful eyes. Steve saw the same golden lines he had seen on Fury’s face on her face as well. Then to Steve’s surprise Natasha’s open wound began to knit itself together. Natasha bit her lip to keep from screaming but within two minutes the wound had been sealed completely and the skin was smooth as if it had never been there. Steve looked at Fury shocked.

Fury nodded. “So I guess it works for everyone.”

“Yep. Pretty damn useful.” Maria agreed.

“Will some explain to me what is going on?!” Steve demanded. “What the hell did you give to Natasha?!! You could have killed her!!”

“It was a little something Jonathan left behind, probably on purpose.” Fury explained. “I am guessing that since he’s missing you’ve realized he’s not human.”

“You knew he was Thor’s brother?” Sam asked

From Fury’s surprised expression, Steve guessed the answer was no. Steve smiled smugly. “Oh I see. He didn’t tell you? He was Thor’s half brother. His name isn’t even Jonathan. It’s Zaaroc. Apparently Thor sent him to retrieve Loki’s Scepter. But then he stumbled upon HYDRA and decided to help us as much as he could. He had to leave because Thor called him back.”

Fury and Maria exchanged a look. “What? What is it?” Sam asked.

Maria sighed. She picked up a tablet and played a video clip of Stark Tower. It had been uploaded on Twitter by a bystander. It showed the Bifrost slamming on the top of Stark Tower. Maria played another clip where again the Bifrost was seen slamming on top of Stark Tower

“We can’t confirm it. But we think Thor came and got Stark and who knows who else and took them with him.” Maria explained. “Though Stark Industries insist that Tony was not even home and pictures of him in Italy surfaced a mere hours later but his AI can do that without problems. Stark is gone.”

“This constant interference from Thor is worrying. I didn’t think he was this interested in Earth. I might have underestimated him” Fury looked lost in thought.

“Zaaroc….Thor’s brother…..he said that Odin was planning on attacking us….” Sam piped up. “He said Thor and few other people with him are working on putting him on the throne. He said Thor believes Loki was controlled like the….others. That’s why he came here looking for the scepter.”

Fury’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “And the plot thickens. Whatever. I ain’t letting Loki step one toe on Earth. No matter what Thor says that guy ain’t no good.”

“It’s too late for that. According to Zaaroc Loki’s dead. But Thor still wants ‘justice’ for his brother.” Natasha informed.

Fury scoffed. “Justice eh? Well the next time I see him I’ll tell him where he can shove his justice. But that’s for later we have more important things to do.”

Steve glared at Fury. “How are you alive anyways? They cut you open. Your heart stopped!”

“Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the heartbeat to one beat per minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn’t work for him. But we found a use for it.” Fury explained.

“Why all the secrecy? Why not tell us?” Steve demanded.

“Any attempt on the Director’s life had to look successful.” Maria pointed out.

“Can’t kill you if you’re already dead.” Fury said. “Besides...I wasn’t sure who to trust…”

Steve shook his head. “I need a minute.” He walked away. No one followed him. Good he was not in the mood.

**HYDRA Secret Facility, Washington DC**

The Asset struggled with the onslaught of memories as a doctor/scientist repaired the damage done by the Widow’s taser. 

“ _ Sergeant Barnes” _ An image of a man in glasses flashed before the Asset’s eyes.

A memory played in his mind. The Asset saw a train in a snow covered landscape. Steve Rogers was calling him again. No….not him. He was calling the voice…..Bucky. He was calling Bucky. But Bucky couldn’t respond because Bucky was falling. The Asset watched through Bucky’s eyes as he was dragged through the snow. His arm bloody and gnarled from the fall. 

“ _ The procedure has already started.” _ The man in glasses said. Bucky saw a man with a saw coming towards him. Then there was pain, endless pain. 

Then miraculously their memories mingled. Bucky/the Asset watched as they woke up on a operating table. 

“ _ You are to be the new fist of HYDRA” _ the man that the Asset now recognized as his father said.

_“No”_ _Bucky’s voice spoke in his mind. “He is not our father. He is the monster who stole everything from us. Remember. You have to remember!”_

The Asset shoved that voice down. This was his father. His father had given him a new life, a purpose. Stupid Bucky didn’t know how the world worked. Listening to him only led to pain.

But Bucky fought with the Asset.  _ “He’s not our father, you fool! Remember! Remember what he did to us!!” _

Memories flashed through the Asset’s mind. Bucky….no...the Asset kneeling on the floor for hours, his father feeding him only when he deemed the Asset worthy of food. 

Soldiers mocking the Asset provoking him to fight. But his father commanded him to not move. To take the punches. 

His father banished him to the chair despite his pleas. Despite the Asset begging for forgiveness. 

Ice, so cold it penetrated his soul. The Asset pounded on the wall of the cryo chamber. He wanted to be awake! But father wouldn’t listen.

“ _ Yes. See him…..see him for what he truly was” Bucky goaded. _

“No!!!” the Asset roared, shoving the doctor into a wall.

Rollins and the other agents immediately pointed their guns at him. But before the Asset could do something more Pierce walked in.

“Gentlemen please. Put the guns down. There is no threat here.” Pierce knelt beside him. “Son. What is it? Come on you can tell me…”

The Asset hesitated. He didn’t want to go back in the chair. “The man on the bridge…..who was he?”

Pierce pulled a stool and sat on it. “You met him on another assignment earlier this week.”

The Asset shook his head. “I knew him. Before…...before all this….the voice knows him…..he’s back…..he keeps telling me father didn’t love me….that what I’ve been doing is wrong…..”

Pierce put his hand on the Asset’s shoulders. “Don’t be silly. Of course father loved you. Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century and I  **need** you to do it one more time. Society’s at a tipping point between order and chaos. And tomorrow morning we’re going to give it a push. But if you don’t do your part. I can’t do mine. And HYDRA won’t be able to give the world the freedom it deserves. It’s what your father would have wanted.”

The Asset was going to push for information on Steve but then Pierce’s words registered. “Wo-would have? Why would have? What happened. Wh-where is father? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?!! I WANT TO SEE HIM!!”

Pierce looked at the Asset sadly. The Asset’s stomach dropped. Pierce looked down. “I’m so sorry…..I know how much he meant to you…..we didn’t want to….but he was willing to give his life for our cause…...he died a worthy death…”

The Asset grabbed Pierce’s collar. “Who was it? Who did this? TELL ME!!”

“The man you just let slip through your hands.” Pierce whispered. “Steve Rogers killed your father. Now I’ll ask you again, will you stand with me? With us?”

The Asset’s blood boiled. He let go of Pierce and looked around for his weapons. He grabbed a gun and shot every doctor around him. He only wanted one doctor. His father. And Steve Rogers had taken him away. He shoved Bucky’s protesting voice down. They were all his enemies. Steve, Bucky, the Widow!! The Asset was going to kill them all!!

Pierce watched as the confused look disappeared and smiled at the crazed look in Barnes’ eyes. Zola had been too primitive, too stuck in his ways. Pierce didn’t prefer getting his hands dirty. Besides, why bother with the pain of wiping Barnes when his anger could be used so beautifully? Zola was foolish to keep such a beautiful creature locked up all the time. In this new world the Asset would be free to shed as much blood as he wanted.

The Asset saw that one of the doctors was still alive. He pressed his boot on the doctor’s wound. The poor man screamed in pain. Then the Asset emptied the entire magazine in the doctor’s face. It was music to Pierce’s ears.

The Asset turned to him. “Скажи мне где он Я принесу тебе его голову.”

Pierce clapped his hands in delight, picking up the Asset’s mask from a nearby table. “That’s the spirit! Let’s do things differently this time. We’ll wait for him to come to us. He will try to stop us but you stop him. Make him watch as his precious SHIELD falls and HYDRA rises. Let him feel the pain you feel now.”

Pierce handed the Asset his mask. The Asset took it, putting it on. “Впереди”

Rumlow and Rollins looked at each other smiling. Pierce smiled at the Asset and turned to them. “Clean this up and give him whatever he wants. By this time tomorrow, the world will bow before us. Hail Hydra”

“Hail Hydra!” All the agents responded.

“Приветствую Гидру” the Asset joined their cry.

Deep inside the Asset’s mind Bucky wept and banged the walls of his cage. Steve was alive! Steve was out there somewhere and here Bucky was stuck in a prison of his own flesh. Bucky shook his head. No. Steve hadn’t given up on Bucky. He’d broken all laws to save him. Bucky couldn’t give up now. This was  **his** body,  **his** mind. He was going to take it back, by hook or by crook. 

As the Asset prepared for the mission to kill the man who had killed his father. Bucky prepared to fight back. To help the friend whose memory had kept Bucky alive all these years. Till the end of the line….

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Скажи мне где он Я принесу тебе его голову - Tell me where he is I'll bring you his head  
> Впереди - Lead the way  
> Приветствую Гидру - Hail Hydra


	30. A Poisonous Trap (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never ever underestimate your enemy.....even if they are in a coma....

**Training Grounds, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Tony watched with rapt attention as Thor and Hela stepped into the training ring. He was sitting on a bench with Stephen on one side and Loki on the other. JARVIS was standing behind him with the Iron Man armor in sentry mode. Jane was sitting on Loki’s right and they were chatting quietly. Tony wondered when those two had become friends. Come to think of it Tony hadn’t seen Thor’s fiancée since he got here. And Loki could almost always be found at Thor’s side. Zaaroc was standing beside them leaning on a fancy golden spear. Loki had rolled his eyes when he’d seen it in Zaaroc’s hands so Tony assumed it was special in some way. The how remained to be seen.

Hela conjured a spiked helmet that made Tony question if she really was Thor’s sister. Even if one ignored the obsession with black and green Hela had, her mannerisms were much like Loki. They were practically twins! The pointy helmet was giving Tony flashbacks of Stuttgart. Then Hela waved a hand and a huge sword appeared from thin air in her hand.

Stephen leaned in probably trying to figure out where the sword had come from. Through his glasses Tony could see the sword was made completely of some kind of energy. Thor casually tossed Mjolnir in the air smiling at Hela then he threw it at her and to Tony’s eternal surprise Hela caught it mid air, clutching the head of Mjolnir. Thor struggled, his hand outstretched trying to call Mjolnir back but it didn’t budge from Hela’s grasp.

Hela smiled and in one swift motion did a half turn and threw Mjolnir at Thor hitting him in the stomach sending him flying backwards and out of the ring. Beside him Loki winced, rubbing his stomach. Hela looked at Loki with a worried expression for a second. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony saw Zaaroc was also watching Loki in concern.

Thor recovered and charged at Hela again. But Hela was too fast. She easily dodged Thor’s blows. Tony could see the sky darken suddenly. Thor’s eyes had become completely white. JARVIS inched closer to Tony sensing the danger. Hela only smirked. Thor threw a bolt of lightning at Hela. Hela conjured a shield but the lightning broke through it hitting her. It pushed her back but she still managed to hold her ground. Damn. This woman was powerful.

Hela conjured sword after sword attacking Thor with a relentless fury the likes of which Tony had never seen. With his lightning Thor had a better chance but still one of Hela’s swords managed to cut his cheek. Thunder cracked loudly in the sky as Thor got worked up and it looked like it was about to storm. Beside him Loki winced again. Tony turned to look at him and was surprised to see an identical cut on Loki’s cheek that appeared on its own. It disappeared in a few seconds as Loki’s healing took over. 

Hela and Thor stopped fighting. Hela’s helmet disappeared. She frowned at the sky. “I think that’s enough for today little brother. You did say you haven’t learned to control your power completely. We don’t want to tear the palace down.”

Thor twitched, closing his eyes. His brow furrowed and a few moments later the sky was sunny again. Not one cloud in sight. Thor nodded at the sky and came over to them.

Stephen gaped at the sky. “How did you do that?”

Thor smiled at Stephen. “I am the God of Thunder because I can command the skies not the other way around. I can feel the weather and command it as I will.”

Tony rolled his eyes at the answer. He had a much more important question. “Why’s it that everytime you get hurt, Rock of Ages here gets hurt too? Is it some weird alien thingy?”

Thor chuckled. “No. The soul bond can be formed between any two beings. It is not exclusive to Aesir or Jotun. Though I suspect it might be difficult for a human to forge such a bond. Your knowledge of sedir is very limited. Maybe if...”

“Hold on back up for a second….” Tony interrupted. “Soul bond? Again with this soul business. What’s this bond supposed to do?”

“A soul bond ties two souls together. It’s like sharing your life force…” Zaaroc explained. At the confused expression on Tony’s face he sighed. “Ok. Bad analogy. Let me put it this way. Your mind is like your house right? It belongs to you. Following me so far….?”

Tony nodded. Zaaroc continued. “Alright. But say you marry or are in a relationship. Then you change the ownership of the house. So now it belongs to you and your partner. Both of you live in the same house now. Both of you can access various parts of the house. A soul bond is like sharing your mind and soul with another person. So the people involved in the bond are able to sense each other’s emotions and since now they are in the same ‘house’ any change in the house affects both of them. Basically Thor and Loki might have their own bodies but intellectually, fundamentally they are one body not two. So if Thor is hurt Loki is hurt too. If someone kills Loki, Thor will die too. Because they are no longer two people but two halves of one whole.”

Stephen blinked. “That sounds…..intimate…..”

Thor shrugged. “Eh….it was a small price to pay for bringing Loki back. The bond was what allowed me to pull Loki back in the living plane of existence.”

“And besides, we’re used to it. We shared rooms for hundreds of years before Odin forced us to live separately. It is not such a hardship. The bond is what we make of it.” Loki shrugged as well.

“Yes. That’s all very wonderful.” Hela commented having walked up to the group. “Dear cousin, how about we spar? You need to practice your ice powers don’t you?”

Zaaroc perked up. “Yeah! I have yet to see Loki use them properly. I even brought Gungir! I don’t think any other weapon will be able to handle the Jotun touch without shattering except Mjolnir of course.”

Loki sighed. “I know….I need new armor. My old armor is designed for an Aesir when I shift forms it shatters at my own touch. I lost a good pair of gauntlets like that.”

“You should probably talk to Farbauti and Etri about that. They would know how to fix that problem. Does this mean you can’t spar with me at the moment?” Hela asked.

Loki stood up. “No..no….I can spar. I just might not be at my best.”

Green light covered Loki for a second and then he was in his armor minus the gauntlets and the helmet. Zaaroc handed him the sparky golden spear and Hela went back to the center of the training ring, ditching her helmet as well.

Hela again conjured a sword and Loki stood straighter, gripping the spear tightly. Hela charged first but as soon as her sword slashed Loki he disappeared and Tony realized it was an illusion. The real Loki appeared behind Hela and it was only her fast reflexes that prevented Loki from stabbing her through with the spear.

Hela slashed at Loki again but he blocked it using the spear like a pole and kicking Hela’s feet out from underneath her. Hela conjured some black spiky shard from that grew up from the ground and Loki had to move out of the way, giving her the chance to get back on her feet.

Hela attacked Loki cornering him between the spikes and herself. Loki blocked her swords with the spear but was stuck. Then green light covered Loki again and Hela stumbled as he was no longer there. Tony watched with wide eyes as a huge snake replaced Loki and wrapped itself around Hela’s torso pinning her arms against her chest so she was forced to let go of her swords to avoid injuring herself.

Hela growled holding the snake’s head to prevent it from biting her and tore it off herself throwing it to the ground. She went to stab it with another sword but Loki transformed again, this time turning into a huge crow and flew away from Hela. Crow Loki transformed back to person Loki and Gungir flew into his hand.

Hela slashed at Loki again but he managed to hold his ground. He blocked Hela’s attack with the spear and when Hela went to stab him with the sword in her other hand, Loki shifted forms again, turning blue. Hela’s sword shattered when it came in contact with his skin and Loki conjured a huge ice spike managing to stab her with it.

“Break” Hela said.

Loki reverted back to his pale form and nodded. If Tony didn’t believe in the mind control theory before, he believed it now. In New York, Loki hadn’t used even half the tricks he had up his sleeve and this was when Loki had insisted he wouldn’t be able to give his best. No wonder they won so easily. Loki never fought at his full potential. Tony turned to Stephen and saw he was thinking the same.

Stephen motioned at Loki. “From the expression on your face I can see that Loki did not fight like this with you in New York.”

Tony shook his head. “No. Not at all. He mostly let other people fight for him. All he did was make grand speeches. I had no idea he could transform into animals too, let alone that he could use it in a fight like this.”

“Loki is a very talented shape shifter. He can shift between species  **and** gender easily. In addition he can also mask his energy signature. So basically if Loki doesn’t want you to find him, you won’t. If he wanted to invade your country, he could have just killed the president and taken his place and no one would be the wiser. He didn’t need an army to rule you. That Loki would resort to violence was the first clue that something was wrong. He’s usually subtler than that.” Zaaroc pointed out.

“Really? He can shift between genders? Is there any limitation of how long or how often he can do that?” Stephen asked.

“Nope. Shapeshifting is a core power. It is a part of Loki’s biology. There is no limitation of how long Loki can maintain a form.” Zaaroc replied.

Stephen appeared to think over something and didn’t ask anymore.

Tony bit his lip in thought. “Has he told you what exactly happened to him? How did he end up blue eyed and hungry for power like that?”

Thor sighed sitting down beside Tony. “That is not my story to tell. But he fell in the hands of some terrible people who took advantage of his weakened state. They tried to coerce him and when it didn’t work forced him. The scepter Loki brought to Earth contains an infinity stone. The mind stone is our guess. It is a very dangerous weapon in the wrong hands. It’s power is potentially limitless. It can be wielded only by the most powerful beings in our universe.”

“Loki wielded it easily. Are you saying he is one of the most powerful beings in this universe? Stephen asked.

Zaaroc shook his head. “No. Loki was not the one wielding the stone. He himself was under its control and remember the stone was inside the scepter which shielded the user from its true power. Though now I am not sure…..Loki’s power has grown exponentially since the bond. I know he feels some sort of connection to the Tesseract and he can wield the Casket of Ancient Winters with ease. But he could do that before too.”

“Don’t forget he is now able to move between realms without using the Bifrost or pre-existing secret paths” Thor pointed out.

Zaaroc nodded. “Oh yeah...that’s a recent development though. We’ll see how it evolves. I’m more concerned about your evolving powers.”

“Why? What’s wrong with Thor’s powers?” Loki asked, apparently having ditched training with Hela.

“Come on Loki you must have noticed Mjolnir is struggling to keep up with Thor of late and I don’t think Gungir will suit him” Zaaroc pointed out.

“You both need new weapons.” Hela interjected. “Mjolnir and Gungir are fine weapons but they were not designed keeping you in mind.”

“Yeah….a weapon’s always best only when it fits the wielder perfectly. That’s why I had to re-design Legolas’ bow. The one SHIELD gave him was good but Clint had improved his bowmanship. His weapon needed an upgrade.” Tony nodded.

Thor was going to agree when he saw Armod looking around searching for someone. “Armod! Over here! Who are you looking for?”

Armod spotted Thor and hurried over to their group. “Your Grace. I had some of the guards search for the hidden rooms in the palace as you had commanded. They were looking in the North wing near King Odin’s old rooms and…..you should come see this……”

Thor was immediately serious. “Of course. Excuse me Anthony. Why don’t you, Jane and Dr. Strange go see Lady Eir? We will join you in a while. Zaaroc will take you to her.”

“Sure.” Tony replied easily.

Thor nodded. He, Hela and Loki left with Armod while the others stayed behind though Zaaroc looked like he wanted to join them too.

Zaaroc blinked at humans. “Right. Come along then.”

**Hidden Ante-Chamber, North Wing, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Armod led them all to Odin’s study. Outside the guards were murmuring amongst each other and Thor saw that someone had called General Tyr as well.

“General Tyr. What is it? What have you found?” Thor asked.

“I am not sure what to call it Your Grace. It’s….I believe this cements the Council’s investigation. Come see for yourself.” General Tyr motioned to the room.

Thor went in and saw that the right wall had a huge hole in it. General Tyr led them through it into a passageway that spiraled downwards.

Loki and Hela conjured some mage lights so they could see where they were going and they began their descent downwards. After climbing down what felt like two floors they came to a large room. Loki duplicates his mage lights to light up the room and Thor gasped.

In the room were several skeletons on raised stones beds. They were still wearing armor. Loki bent down to examine the armor of a skeleton. “These engravings…..They are our soldiers.”

Hela cast her mage light further in the room. It hit something. They went forward and saw the corpse of a huge black wolf. Loki felt a strange sensation for a moment but ignored it. Hela immediately rushed to the corpse of the giant wolf. “Fenris, my darling, what has he done to you?”

Thor turned to General Tyr. “Have any of them been identified?”

General Tyr nodded. “Just one and only because of his armor.”

Tyr led them to a skeleton near Fenris. Thor noted that the armor worn by this skeleton was a little different. “This is General Raud…..the former commander of Asgard’s army. We recognized him only by the engravings of his armor that gave away his station.” Tyr explained.

“I read that General Raud died in a battle against Muspelheim. But now that I think about it Uncle Ve said that it was Hela and the Valkyries who fought the fire demons.” Loki pointed out.

Tyr nodded. “Indeed. For years I too believed General Raud died fighting against Surtur’s forces. It seems Odin is the one who killed him….”

“Of course. Raud must have protested against my arrest.” Hela walked up to them. “Odin must have killed him to prevent him from rising against him.”

“I bet all these soldiers banded with Raud and so Odin killed them and buried them here.” Loki sighed.

Thor shook his head and rubbed his forehead. “General Tyr remove all these skeletons from here. Send them to Lady Eir. See if we can find out their identity and make preparations for a mass funeral. These were Asgardian soldiers, they deserve to be sent off into the next life with honor.”

“Even if that honor is a thousand years late.” Hela added. “Brother I would like to bury Fenris on Jotunheim with the other Direwolves that have served the Jotun army faithfully in the past.”

Thor nodded. “Of course sister. He was your companion. You may bury him as you wish.”

“Does this mean that the council of Asgard is now ready to seek trial against Odin?” Loki asked.

Tyr looked at the skeletons around them and shuddered. “Yes….enough is enough. King Odin’s list of crimes expands every day. We cannot put it off anymore. Your Grace, if you have a way of awakening King Odin, the time to employ it is now. We will hold trial this evening itself if possible.”

Thor nodded. “I will reach out to Uncle Freyr. He will surely know something that will work.”

With that Thor and Loki departed while Hela stayed back to help General Tyr in moving the bodies and to see if she was able to identify some of them. 

Thor stomped towards Freyr’s room. Was there an end to the atrocities Odin had committed? Because from where Thor was standing the bodies kept piling up with no end in sight. How many had Odin killed in his thirst for power? How much blood had he shed? Thor pounded Freyr’s door.

It was his aunt who opened the door. “Thor? What happened? Are you alright? Freyr is bath-....”

“Tell Uncle Freyr it is time to wake Odin, gather all the other rulers and meet me in the throne room. Odin’s trial will be held today evening.” Thor said curtly and turned to leave.

Freya looked at Loki. “Is he alright?”

Loki shook his head. “No. But the sooner we are done with this the better. I don’t think Thor can bear to hear anymore of Odin’s crimes.”

Freya nodded. “I’ll talk to Freyr. We’ll sort this out. Last I heard Farbauti and the others went to fetch documents and other proof they had against Odin but I’ll send word to them. You stay with Thor. Don’t leave him alone like this.”

Loki nodded gratefully. “Of course. Thank you Aunt Freya.”

Loki hurried after Thor. He could feel the anger Thor felt but eclipsing it was sadness. Thor had been taking everything he had learned about Odin in stride but Loki feared that deep down it hurt Thor to see this side of the man he had looked upto for so long. But he was hesitant to push the topic, not wanting to disturb the walls Thor had erected not now when so much rested on Thor’s shoulders. But he did worry.

Thor headed for the Healing rooms. He could see the guards milling outside in the hallways carrying the skeletons they had found, Armod directing them. In the healing rooms Eir flitted between the skeletons. Tony and Jane were frowning but Stephen looked at the skeletons with interest. Thor remembered he was a healer as well. 

Tony came over to Thor when he saw them, “Hey Thor. Um…...what’s all this? I thought we were going to look at Loki’s brain?”

Thor rubbed his temples. “We were going to do that. But…..Armod found a mass grave hidden beneath Odin’s study. We found these skeletons there along with the corpse of Fenrir, who had once been a companion of my sister Hela. We need to examine these and then there’s a trial against Odin later today…….I’m sorry…..I’m afraid we might not be able to look at Loki’s mind today….”

Tony blinked, “Oh...uh….that’s…..uh….that’s alright….it’s fine…..um….Thor…..Odin’s your father, right? Are you sure you want to participate in this trial…?”

Thor pursed his lips, “I have to. I am King. I have to be seen standing for what is right no matter who is standing before me. Loki and Hela will be present as well along with the rest of the council of Asgard. Later there will be a public trial that will include all the royal delegates from the other realms. You will not be allowed in the first trial but you can watch the public trial if you want….”

Tony was wondering how to respond to that when Stephen’s voice interrupted them. “How long ago did these people die? I can see some malformations of skull bone here and here but no decay. It appears they have been mummified….”

“Mummified?” Eir asked confused. “I’m afraid I do not understand Dr. Strange.”

Stephen stepped up beside Eir. “Call me Stephen please...Mummification is a process where the dead body is preserved using chemicals….uh potions? Yes...that is what you people call it. Using potions. See this hole in the skull here? Someone inserted a needle and probably injected some potion to desiccate the brain maybe even remove it since the skull appears to be empty. See this shine? It’s not natural there is some che-potion on these bones….”

Loki went up to them “These people did die over a thousand years ago. Even for an Aesir their bones should have been dust by now. Is there anything else that seems odd to you doctor?”

Stephen frowned at the skeleton in front of him. “I can’t be sure….but...the Egyptians removed all other organs from a mummy but left the heart inside as a ritual of sorts. Can you help me remove this armor?”

Loki helped Stephen and together they removed the chest plate and tunic of the skeleton. Loki blinked in surprise when he saw a shriveled up dried piece of flesh between the ribs of the skeleton.

“Lady Eir come see this. Can you activate the soul forge and take a scan of this?” Loki put the chest plate aside.

Eir nodded. She made a motion and thin golden lines appeared over the skeleton, a replica of the skeleton in gold formed. Stephen blinked in surprise.

“It’s a quantum field generator” Jane and Tony explained at the same time. 

Stephen still looked confused. Eir smiled at the young boy. “It transfers molecular energy from one place to another. It will allow us to scan the flesh in the chest cavity without having to remove the bones to get to it.”

“I have to admit I never thought it could be used like this.” Tony piped up. “This is very creative. What else can this soul forge do?”

Eir input something in the soul forge. “It can detect foreign energies. Like the one we're seeing now.”

Loki blinked at the mass of black energy he could see. He reached out with his third eye. He’d seen this somewhere if only he could remember where….

Loki’s eyes widened just as Stephen leaned in to look at the black mass. “No! It’s alive! It’s alive!”

The Iron Man armor snapped around Tony and he flew up tackling Stephen just as the skeleton roared to life and lunged for his throat. Stephen hit his head hard on a table as Tony shielded his body. Jane ducked under the table and Eir and Loki used their sedir to conjure ropes to bind the now animated skeleton.

Thor and the other guards rushed towards them but the other skeletons in the room came to life as well attacking them. Thor hit them with Mjolnir but the broken bones joined back and became whole again.

“Use your lightning! They are made from sedir only sedir can undo them!” Loki shouted as he sent a blast of sedir in all skeletons within two feet of him.

Thor caught on summoning bolts of lightning hitting the undead soldiers. But he was at the disadvantage of being in a closed room. He only had so much space to work with seeing as Tony, Jane and Stephen were also in the room. 

Tony tried using every weapon in his artillery but it was useless the bullets and missiles did nothing to hamper the bloody zombies. The cut on Stephen’s head was bleeding badly. He looked like he was about to pass out. Tony knew that would be very very bad.

“No! Don’t you dare sleep on me Stephanie!” Tony shook Stephen a little too harshly but it did the trick. 

“Huh? Ow. Tony? What happened?” Stephen looked around confused.

Tony fired a repulsor at a zombie. That seemed to work. Finally! He shook Stephen again. “Nothing...we’re just having a little pest infestation problem….stay awake! Don’t you fall asleep now!”

Jane crawled from beneath the table to Tony and Stephen being as silent as she could. She didn’t want to risk getting bitten by the skeleton zombies. Thor and Loki were struggling to fight the horde off mindful of the humans. A hardship the zombies did not share.

“Hey! We need to get out of here. We’re no use in this fight and we’re just making it worse for Thor and Loki” She said urgently.

“J calculate a trajectory and fly us out. Jane’s right we can’t stay here and Stephen needs medical attention now!” Tony ordered.

“ _ Calculating trajectory. Calibrating systems. We are ready Sir.”  _ JARVIS reported.

Tony shot another zombie off. “Ok….ok….we can do this. Jane I have to carry Stephen, he’s too disoriented. You have to hold onto me tight. It can be a little jarring. Come on...on my back”

Jane nodded, climbing on Tony’s back piggyback style and wrapped her arms and legs tightly around the armor. Tony picked up Stephen making sure to not jostle his head too much. “Now J!”

Tony was about to take off when a wave of energy hit them knocking them in the other direction. Tony barely managed to prevent Stephen from incurring another head wound.

“WHAT IS ALL THIS?!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY PALACE?!!!” A voice boomed loudly.

Thor got up off the floor glaring at Odin who was standing in the doorway, Gungir in his hand. He was holding Freya by her hair, looking angry as he looked around, his gaze stopping at Loki who had stood up as well. The undead soldiers were dead again no doubt as Odin had removed whatever spell he had performed on them.

Odin looked back at Thor. “I asked you something!! Answer me boy!! What is all this?!! What is this bastard doing here?!!”

When Thor didn’t respond, Odin scoffed and tossed Freya like a rag doll. She almost hit a table but Loki caught her and helped her stand up. The soldiers that been caught in the impromptu attack all looked confused as to what to do.

“I see that you’ve forgotten your place.” Odin took a step inside the room. “You are not king, Thor. Now answer me before I banish you among the ants again. What is this worm doing here?”

“His name is Loki and  **I** am King. It is not I who needs to answer but you who must bow. Surrender now and I might consider mercy. Resist and I will forget you are my blood. I will tear you limb from limb and feed you to the birds of the air!” Thor grit out.

Odin raised one eyebrow, his face like stone. He raised one hand and called Mjolnir to himself. Thor let it go. He didn’t need it anymore. He was no longer Odin’s puppet. From the corner of his eye, he saw Loki quietly summon a dagger and Tony turn to face Odin. Hela was now standing a few feet behind Odin. 

When Thor’s expression did not change, Odin sighed. “I see. Very well if you must make things difficult then so be it. Guards arrest Loki Laufeyson and throw him in the dungeons!”

None of the guards moved, all of them looking at their leader, Armod who didn’t budge from his place. Odin looked at the guards in surprise. “Guards! What is the meaning of this?!! Arrest Loki!!”

“No” Armod replied.

Odin looked at him shocked. “No?! What do you mean no?! I am your King!!! Do as I command!!”

Armod shrugged. “I refuse. What are you going to do about it? Kill me? Banish me? Go ahead. Do it then. But I refuse to bow to a criminal like you” Armod threw his sword at Odin’s feet.

Odin stared at it for a moment, before looking at the rest of the guards expectantly. They all threw their swords as well. Odin took a step back shocked.

From behind him Hela laughed. “Oh this is delightful! How lovely! I am fortunate to have seen this day! It brings me such joy to see you fall from your pedestal Odin”

Odin whirled around aiming Gungir at Hela but she simply conjured a sword and threw it at Odin knocking Gungnir out of his hand. Odin then threw Mjolnir at Hela but as in the training ring, Hela caught it with one hand. This time she didn’t throw it back though. She clenched her hand around the head and Mjolnir shattered like glass. Lightning poured from it and Thor held his hands in front of his face to shield himself but Loki conjured a shield around them all except Odin who was hit with the lighting and the left half of his face was burned by it.

“Agh!” Odin screamed, clutching his face not that Thor cared, he turned to the guards. “Armod arrest this man and throw him in the dungeons. Allow no one to visit him. Bind him with our best shackles and watch him. His trial will be held this evening.”

This time Armod obeyed the command. He picked Odin up roughly, uncaring of his age or his wounds. Loki conjured glowing bands and they wrapped around Odin’s wrists, binding his sedir. Armod dragged him out. None of the other guards made any attempt to help Odin as he screamed obscenities at Thor, Hela and Loki.

Tony came up to them, a barely awake Stephen leaning against him. “Well that was a blast….let’s….um...let’s never do that again. So….uh Stephen here hit his head pretty hard. He kinda needs medical attention. ASAP.”

Lady Eir came up beside Stephen. “Yes...yes….of course. Here help him sit in that chair. I will fetch the healing potion.”

Thor righted a fallen chair and Tony helped Stephen slump in it, gently shaking him as Eir brought a vial of some healing potion and a healing stone. 

“Wakey wakey Stephanie! Come’on it’s time to drink your syrup like a good boy. Open your mouth.” Tony sing-songed.

Stephen smacked the armor. “I am not a child you idiot. I know what to do. I’m a doctor.”

Before Tony could say something, Eir pushed him aside, earning an offended look. Eir ignored it. She opened the vial and held it out for Stephen. “Here drink this. It will heal the wound. It is not that deep. But you have lost some blood. This will help you recover. Don’t taste it, just swallow.”

Stephen looked at the vial with narrowed eyes for a moment, before shrugging. It couldn’t be worse than being eaten alive by a zombie. He took the vial from Eir and tossed its contents in, swallowing. Eir placed a stone on Stephen’s forehead and the pain in his wound immediately faded. Stephen felt more awake and aware as the potion took effect and he touched the spot where he had hit his head and found no wound. It had healed instantaneously.

Loki looked at Freya. “Aunt Freya. Are you alright? What happened? Where is Uncle Freyr?”

Freya shook her head. “As you know the other delegates have gone to fetch evidence for today evening’s trial. Zaaroc was called by his associates on Midgard and he is probably still there. Me and Freyr went to Odin’s room to wake him like you asked. Freyr brought Gungnir with him as you were here, the council was busy and the others were gone. It could not be left unattended. Freyr and I began weaving the spell to undo the...Odinsleep. But midway through the spell we heard noises of fighting. We paused for a moment and before we could continue, Odin suddenly woke up and clutched Freyr’s throat. He tossed Freyr to the side and summoned Gungnir to himself. I tried to stop him but he fired Gungnir at me.” 

Freya pushed her hair aside and Loki could see her right shoulder had a wound that was slowly dripping blood. Freya continued. “The guards came rushing in but Odin attacked them as well and then there were these strange undead soldiers that attacked everyone. Freyr and the other guards became busy with them. I tried to crawl away but Odin caught my hair and dragged me here.” 

Freya looked shaken. Hela shook her head. “It wasn’t just the soldiers. Fenris came back to life as well. I had to kill my poor dear all over again. That’s why it took me so long to get here. Tyr and I were trapped halfway in the passageway we found between Fenris and the soldiers that were suddenly no longer dead.”

Thor scrubbed his eyes. “Was the whole palace attacked? What about Dana and Thrym and the rest of the entourage that came with the delegates? Surely not all of them went back to fetch evidence.”

“You are right Thor.” Thrym called out from the doorway an ice sword in one hand and Dana in the other. Aed and Jarnsaxa were with him as well. 

As soon as Dana saw Thor she started to fuss. “Lemme downs! Lemme downs!”

Thyrm waved his sword away and caught the little girl to keep her from falling down. “Oof! Dana stop it! Have some patience!”

Thrym brought Dana to Thor and Thor took her in his arms, smiling a little sadly at the little girl. “Hello Dana. Are you well? Did the bad soldiers hurt you?”

Dana shook her head. “Nos! Grandpa is the strongest! He protect me!”

Loki chuckled. “I see. We are very glad to have him here then.” Loki took Dana from Thor when she made grabby hands at him. He turned to Freya. “Aunt, you should sit down and have Eir look at this. Me and Dana will go find Uncle Freyr and check on the rest of the people in the palace. Isn’t that right Dana?”

“Yeah!” Dana cheered happily, completely unaffected by her surroundings. Stephen chuckled. It caught Dana’s attention and she looked at him curiously. Tony came to stand beside Stephen and Dana looked at him with wide eyes. Thor remembered that Dana had never seen a human before. Unlike the Aesir or the Jotun, the humans had no visible spark of sedir in them. It must be very odd for Dana who was too young to be able to control her third eye or understand why the humans were different.

Tony watched as the tiny blue girl in green dress looked at him with wide eyes. He took a step forward to introduce himself but the little girl shied away hiding her face in Loki’s shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck. Loki rubbed her back in an attempt to soothe her.

“I think we will leave now. General Thrym please report everything to mother lest she hear it from someone else and assume the worst.” Loki requested.

Thyrm nodded. “Don’t worry My Prince. I will inform Her Grace and be sure to point out that you are well and alive several times.”

Loki nodded gratefully. He stroked Dana’s hair, making her look at him. “Come darling. We’ll go find the others. I’ll tell you about that time Thor got stuck in his own trap…” Loki’s voice trailed off as he left, Dana giggling along.

Hela looked at the bones now scattered on the floor of the healing room. “Odin used a particular spell from Muspelheim that was used to animate objects. Though of course he used it on people. The soldiers had a hive mind and Odin was the leader. All they needed was some spark of energy. We brought them here and I assume Eir activated the soul forge which generates energy….so…”

“So Frankenstein's monsters got the spark they needed and decided we made for good meat. Got it. I know I said this before….but let’s never do that again” Tony supplied.

“We didn’t mean to do it in the first place so….” Thor shrugged. He nodded at Hela. “How many soldiers were buried down there? It seems the whole palace fell prey to them.”

“There were thousands down there. The room covers the entire North wing under the surface. Once animated they started clawing at the walls and broke through them into the palace. Now there are bones everywhere…” Hela sighed.

“What I don’t understand is why Odin chose to remove the…….spell he had put on these corpses” Stephen wondered out loud.

Jane nodded. “Yeah. I mean we were all kinda overwhelmed…...he could have pushed his advantage. Why choose this course of action? It makes no sense...”

Thor frowned. He looked around. This was too easy. Something was wrong. He looked at his hands and arms checking for wounds. Loki and he were connected. He remembered each place the skeleton soldiers had managed to nick him. One of them had been under his chin. But…...but Loki did not have any cut there.

Thor looked around frantically. “General Thyrm find Loki….find Loki now!”

Thyrm looked at him confused. “Thor…? What’s wrong? Loki went to find Freyr. I don’t understand….”

Thor quickly made his way to Tony, Stephen and Jane, they were the most susceptible and vulnerable people here. “Thrym….please just try to reach Queen Farbauti through the dreamscape. I fear….please just try…”

Thrym closed his eyes and tried to reach out for Farbauti only to run into a mental wall. It took him a moment but he realized what was wrong. “I can’t reach her…..because we are already in the dreamscape…..”

As soon as Thyrm finished his sentence the ground beneath them tilted giving way. Thor clutched Stephan and Tony. Hela caught Jane and Freya. The last thing Thor saw was Thrym sending a wave of energy probably to try and stabilize the dreamscape before he was falling….

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

On the other side of the palace Loki frowned as he passed through the hallways. There were bones everywhere but no guards or people in sight. Dana was being extremely quiet. She was looking at everything with wide eyes. Loki frowned, turning a hallway. He saw Freyr slumped against a wall and rushed to him.

“Uncle Freyr! Uncle Freyr! Wake up!” Loki set Dana down on her feet and shook Freyr.

Freyr gasped awake. “Loki? What…? Where are we…? Where is Freya…? I…”

Freyr was completely confused. One moment he had been performing a spell to wake Odin along with Freya and the next moment there was a strange energy wave that knocked him out and here he was with Loki.

Dana pulled at Loki’s sleeve. “Oki? I don’t likes it. Feels wong….” Dana looked scared of something.

Loki sat down beside the little girl. “What feels wrong? Are you tired? Does your stomach hurt? Do you feel warm?”

Dana shook her head. “Palace feel wong. I don’t likes it. I want mommy” Dana started crying.

Loki immediately took her in his arms rocking her. “Shh...We will go to your mother in a minute...let me just….Uncle Freyr what is the last thing you remember?”

Freyr rubbed his temple. “I…..I remember trying to wake Odin and then there was this wave of energy….”

“Wait…” Loki interrupted. “Wave of energy? What wave? Didn’t Odin wake up and….oh….OH!”

Loki reached out with his sedir and felt around. Yes. They were no longer in the real world. “No….no this….this can’t be right….”

How did they get here? Loki mentally traced his steps back. The room…..Loki remembered duplicating his mage lights and yet Hela had to conjure more lights and even then part of the room was dark. Damnit! It was a trap! The entire room was a trap!

Loki was about to suggest they try and find Thor and the others when he heard a growling sound he hoped to never hear again. Loki looked up and at the end of the hallway were two Outriders and standing between them was a tall purple being….Thanos

Panic gripped Loki’s heart. He knew Thanos couldn’t be real but a voice in the back of his mind wondered if he was. What if Loki dreamt attacking Midgard? What if he’d dreamt everything that had happened since? What if he’d never left that horrible rock? Loki began panting, finding it hard to breathe. No. He’d just escaped this monster! Everything was finally going well. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real! Thanos took a step forward and Loki couldn’t take it anymore.

He clutched Dana to his chest and took off running in the opposite direction, ignoring Freyr’s cries….

**Central Market, Asgard, the Real World**

After showing the humans to the Healing rooms Zaaroc decided to go to the market and see if he could hear some whispers and gauge how the common people were reacting to all the happenings in Asgard. While he was leaving he’d run into Etri who too was leaving for Nidavillr. Here he learned that Farbauti had left as well to check on Jotunheim and assure her council that she was fine. Svol had already left in the night as he needed to check on Muspelheim as well. Zaaroc shrugged. As long as everyone was back in time for the Council of Nine it was fine.

He strolled through the market, stopping at a few merchants’ stalls examining their wares. The effect of the Casket had long faded away but Zaaroc could see the signs of distress in many people’s eyes. Still there was no rioting or rebelion so he took it as a good sign. Zaaroc had just spotted Fandral talking to a woman who appeared to be Ingrid when there was a slight tremor. 

Everyone panicked for a moment. Zaaroc gripped a nearby stall to keep himself from toppling over. The people around him gasped pointing at something. Zaaroc looked behind and saw a strange sickly grey shield cover the palace completely. He quickly got on his horse and galloped towards the palace. 

The shield covered the palace completely. Zaaroc got down from his horse and reached out with his sedir trying to penetrate the shield but he was unable to do so. The shield shocked him, and pushed him back. Through the shield Zaaroc saw that all the guards had fallen down unconscious and strange black orange veins wrapped around their foreheads and went in their nose, pulsing as if sucking on something. Damnit! What the hell happened?!!

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Inside the palace, Odin’s eyes moved beneath his closed eyelids. Freya and Freyr were slumped at his bedside, the same orange-black veins sucking their sedir. Gungnir lay, fallen beside Freya. Another vein rose up from the ground thicker than before and wrapped around Odin connecting to the base of his neck. Unlike the other veins this one did not suck Odin’s sedir but rather it fed him sedir collected by the other veins. Still deep in sleep Odin smiled slightly….

TBC….

**Author's Note:**

> So that was the first chapter. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


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